The Eternal Hero: Seraphim
by Phoenix Izuka
Summary: Izuka Midoriya has taken up her Hero name and begins working to surpass her father, All-Might and become the Number One Hero, facing off with the Hero Killer, the Eight Precepts of Death and the man that cast a dark shadow over her life; All for One. Sequel to The Immortal Hero: Phoenix
1. An Angel Takes Flight

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 1: An Angel Takes Flight**

Izuka stood proudly before her classmates, absorbing their supportive shouts and smiling happily. Her classmates had proven once again to be great friends and accepted Izuka's choice for who she was, the kind of hero she wanted to be. The Eternal Hero: Seraphim would fly across the skies and bring peace, just like All-Might before her. But that was still in the future, for now, Izuka would continue to learn alongside her friends and become a great hero with all of them.

Aizawa-sensei shuffled out of his sleeping bag and took Izuka's place at the lectern, sending her back to her seat with an approving nod. "Good job everyone. The names you picked today may well be the names the world knows you by in the future. Work hard to live up to those names! Now, onto the Work Experience Placements. They will start next week, as I said before, so I'll be handing out personalised lists to you consisting of the offers you received. You may pick from them to decide who to spend the Work Experience with." Aizawa moved around the class, handing slips of paper to everyone, though the ones with offers ended up receiving whole booklets full of agencies. "Each of you also just received a list of 40 Agencies across Japan who are willing to take on Work Experience Placements. Those without offers will select from this list, though those with offers can still choose from this list if you prefer. Pick who you feel will suit you best, both with your quirks and Hero Philosophy. Shinso, you may choose too, but be warned that if you aren't up to the level I expect by the end of the week, you won't be going."

"Got it, Sensei." Hitoshi nodded, looking over the list of people that had sent offers to him.

"Good. Now you have the rest of the day to make some decisions. Shinso, you'll be staying after school for the Quirk Apprehension Test as well as discovering the powers of your Plus Ultra Mode. Midoriya, I'd like you to stay too to assist. Ojiro, you too. Midoriya can't be brainwashed, so we need someone to test Shinso's power on. Think you can handle it?" Aizawa asked.

"I'll do it. We got off on the wrong foot at the Sports Festival, so I want to clear the air." Ojiro said, nodding politely to Shinso, who returned it a bit awkwardly.

"Good, Ojiro. Everyone, get to thinking." Aizawa-sensei ordered as he escorted Midnight out and then crawled back into his sleeping bag.

The class quietly chuckled at their Sensei, then began grouping together around Momo and Izuka's desks (they were the Class Presidents after all) so they could talk about their options. "So who are you guys thinking of working with?" Kyoka asked.

"I'm going with Uwabami, definitely." Momo smiled; "She's one of the top female heroes and a master of capturing villains."

"Suits you!" Mina giggled, "I'm going with the Melting Hero: Heart Slime!"

"Heart Slime? Isn't she the absolutely nuts hero that can liquefy her own body? Why her?" Kirishima asked.

"Her slime is a lot like my acid! She can make it melt stuff and solidify it in weird ways. I want to see if I can learn some cool stuff from her." Mina grinned, "Plus, she actually used to be a Vigilante and helped so many people that the government was forced to recognise her as a real hero, since the public wouldn't let them arrest her. It's a totally rebel act and I think it's kind of cool!"

"Damn, that's pretty manly! I'm going with the Chivalrous Hero: Fourth Kind! He was inspired by Crimson Riot, the same as I was, so I want to learn from my Senpai!" Kirishima grinned, "and he deals with major crimes in the big city, which is where my quirk will be most useful!"

"I'm going to the coast, so I can help deal with floods and ocean disasters." Tsuyu croaked; "I'll be with the Sea Rescue Hero: Selkie! I'm looking forward to it, since I'm a fan of his."

"I'm going for Battle Hero: Gunhead's agency!" Ochako smiled.

Izuka blinked; "Isn't he a rough and tumble scrapper? You want to go with him?"

"Yeah, he sent an offer!" Ochako said, "I realised in my fight with Todoroki; I need to be stronger! Fighting isn't my goal, but being a stronger hero opens all kinds of doors and makes me more helpful to people, right? Just focusing on one thing is too limiting." Ochako went through a few stances, "Or at least that's what I think."

"You're not alone in that, Ochako." Kyoka said, "I'm going to the Punching Hero: Death Arms for the same reason. When I saw those crazy fights in the third event, I was sure I'd never have had a shot at winning. But seeing Izuka and Shinso whip out those cool moves made me want to learn. So I'm hoping to learn some martial arts or something."

Koda nodded shyly and pointed at his own choice on his list; The Rabbit Hero: Miruko. A very odd choice for the quiet boy, since Miruko was known to be loud, enthusiastic and scrappy (or basically the opposite of Koda). Izuka tilted her head; "You want to get more confident and stronger Koda?"

The boy nodded shyly. Izuka smiled; "That's good! Try your best!"

"Personally, I'm heading for the Four Star Hero: Sun Wukong. His quirk; Monkey Form, basically gives him similar abilities to me. He relies on his martial arts and acrobatics to fight villains." Ojiro said.

"Cool! I'm going for Kamui Woods." Sero smirked; "My fight with Shiozaki made me realise I needed to learn to use my tape more creatively. I figure a capturing type like Kamui Woods would be the best bet."

"I'm going to work with the Thunder God Hero: Raijin! He's the top electrical hero and he sent me an offer, so I'm totally going to pick his brains a bit and see what cool stuff I can do with electricity." Kaminari grinned.

"That's a good attitude." Tokoyami commented; "I will be going to the Wing Hero: Hawks. He is the highest ranked hero that sent me an offer. I wish to see just how close to the sun I can fly."

"Huh, I got an offer from him too." Hitoshi said, showing his list, "I was going to take him up on it, so I guess we'll be working together."

Tokoyami nodded, "I look forward to it."

Izuka turned to Aoyama: "Aoyama, who are you going with?"

"Myself? Well obviously I am going with the most dazzling of heroes; The Star Hero: Orion!" Aoyama said flamboyantly.

"Better you than me..." Sato deadpanned; "Orion's Hero Costume is worse than your room; I feel like I'll go blind if I look at him… Personally, I'm going with the Masked Hero: Libre Man. His fighting style is a lot like what I'm aiming for."

"That's pretty cool, Sato!" Toru chirped; "I'm going with Edgeshot, the Ninja Hero! He's a super stealthy hero, so he's the best person I could join!" she turned to Shoji, "What about you, Tentacole? Who are you going for?"

"The Quiet Heroine: Silent Sister." Shoji answered.

Momo raised an eyebrow; "Silent Sister? Doesn't she grow stronger the less sound she makes? Why would you pick her? It doesn't match your abilities."

Shoji hummed, "She's a fairly popular hero, having become a cult classic among some parts of society. Yet she is quiet, unassuming and private. I wish to learn how to be a popular hero without having to embrace the over-exuberance of my fellow heroes. I hope she will have tips for me."

"Huh, quiet as ever huh?" Todoroki commented. "I'm going with Endeavor."

The Class looked at him like he was nuts; "Shoto, is that a good idea? I thought you and Endeavor were still at odds..." Izuka asked quietly.

"We are. But… he's started to change. He's going on about being a Hero I can be proud of, and well, I sort of want to see him do it. Plus, he is the best fire type hero in the business, so even if his new resolve is a load of crap, I can use him to get stronger." Shoto reasoned.

"Huh… well, good luck Shoto! Tenya, what about you? You're going with Ingenium right?" Izuka smiled.

"Actually, I'm not." Tenya confessed, "My brother is currently assisting the police in Hosu in their attempts to track the Hero Killer. However, I am going to be in Hosu with the Normal Hero: Manual, so I can be close by. I know my brother is stronger than me, but I feel better if I'm around to at least offer support if he needs it."

"Just be careful, Iida. Hosu is dangerous for Heroes right now." Momo said sternly, "What about you Izuka? I'm guessing you and Bakugou will be joining the same agency?"

"We won't be." Katsuki said, slightly annoyed by that fact, "I'm going to Best Jeanist. There's something I want to learn from him that Izuka already gets, so there's no point in her joining me… though I don't like it."

Izuka smiled and pecked him on the cheek; "Come on Kacchan, you don't need me around; you'll be awesome!"

"That's not what I'm worried about. I don't like letting you out of my sight! No offense, Rabbit, but every time I have recently, you've gotten hurt, died or been stuck talking to some asshole. Promise me you'll be fucking careful, wherever you go!" Katsuki demanded.

"I'll do my best, Kacchan. I haven't actually decided yet. There's so many options..." Izuka mumbled, looking at the thick booklet of offers she'd received. As expected, she'd received offers from the Pussycats, Water Hose and Sir Nighteye's agency, but oddly, not Gran Torino and there was a note attached to Sir Nighteye's offer stating it was sent by Centipeder with the permission of Sir Nighteye, who wouldn't be able to attend himself. Izuka frowned at that; she knew he and Gran Torino were hunting the League of Villains, but she hoped they'd have left the hunt by now. With Kurogiri around, it was next to impossible to track them down, as they could be almost anywhere in the country

Putting that out of her mind for now, Izuka began to mutter away. "If I cut out those agencies and offices run by heroes with quirks, philosophies and work preferences that don't suit me, I still have well over 3000 left… I need to divide them up by Philosophy and Hero Work Type, then make a Venn Diagram to see which match with me and also have quirks that I can learn from… from there I need to examine their number of resolved cases, public opinion and ranking, plus with the League about, I need to prioritise those with good security or strong heroes… If I pull some all-nighters, I should be able to make a relatively appropriate decision by the weekend..."

The Class smirked at one another; Izuka's muttering was basically a little show at this point, especially the way she pouted and made little gasps and giggled as she thought of ideas and came up with solutions. By the end of the day, Izuka was the only one who'd yet to decide on who to spend her Work Experience with, so she was still muttering as she followed Aizawa-sensei, Ojiro and Hitoshi to the Training Dream Land for Hitoshi's Quirk Apprehension Test. As they arrived, they found both Cementoss and All-Might waiting for them.

"Greetings! Aizawa, might I borrow Young Midoriya for a moment? I shan't keep her for long!" All-Might smiled widely.

Aizawa shrugged, "Sure. Midoriya, we'll go on ahead. Don't take long." he instructed, leading the two boys into the gym along with Cementoss. Once they were inside, All-Might directed Izuka over to the side of the gym where they couldn't be seen, then deflated down to his Civilian Form.

"My girl, I have some things to discuss with you. Firstly, I have a letter! Here you go!" Toshinori said, handing an envelope to Izuka. The girl blinked at the name on the paper; it read "The Brat's daughter", the nickname she'd been given by Gran Torino.

With a happy smile, she read through it:

" _Dear Izuka_

 _It's been a while since I've seen you in person! Not since you started at U.A! I've been kept updated by your idiot father, and I'm proud of you girl!_

 _Your scores have been amazing and you even won the Sports Festival; I was very proud when I saw that! Shame you didn't kick Endeavor's behind though; if there's one man who deserves it, it's him! And on top of it, you helped heal Ingenium. You did a good thing there, Izuka, but don't risk your health so much. There are things out there worse than dying, and you've experienced more of them than I'd like!_

 _On that note, hearing of how you died at the USJ has spurred Sir Nighteye and I on our hunt for those League brats. Sir Nighteye has been particularly spirited; I've never seen him fight so hard! Still, that's not why I wrote this letter._

 _I have news for you, and it's the kind of news I feel like Toshinori and your mother would keep from you. They both mean well, but remember Izuka, to them you'll always be their little girl first and a hero second; they want you safe over everything else, so there may be times when they'll keep secrets to stop you acting in a way they feel is dangerous or irresponsible. I, on the other hand, feel you're old enough and seen enough of the world's dark side that there's no point in shielding you from it._

 _The news I have is as follows; The League has made contact with two underworld entities that are currently operating in Tokyo and the surrounding wards. The first is an independent villain known as the Hero Killer. You've already seen his handiwork in Ingenium. He is said to be incredibly dangerous and has a way of sealing the movements of others. I believe the League has tried to recruit him to assist in capturing you. The second is a remnant of the old Japanese Yakuza; the Eight Precepts of Death. They are a very secretive group known only for producing and distributing the "Trigger" Drug, which acts like a temporary version of your own link quirk's evolution powers. They've also been attributed to numerous people whose' quirks have reportedly stopped working or acted up for short periods. We're not sure why the League wants to work with them, or why either Villains would want to work with the League, but it's worth keeping in mind._

 _Keep your eyes and ears open, but do not pursue these people. I'm giving you this information as a show of faith in your maturity; don't abuse that faith!_

 _I hope you do well on your Work Experience!_

 _Love Grandpa Torino"_

Izuka finished reading, her eyes flicking up to her Papa, who was currently pale faced and face palming. She'd read it aloud, and apparently Grandpa had been right in Toshi not wanting to tell his daughter about this. "Papa, if you're worried I'll go after these guys, then you shouldn't. I don't want to go anywhere near them! I'm nowhere near strong enough to take on someone working with the League!"

Toshinori raised an eyebrow; "Oh? In truth, I was a bit worried. I thought that your victory against them at the USJ would have made you confident that you could win. Plus, I was sure you'd want to get justice for Ingenium, since the Hero Killer was the one to maim him."

"I only did so well at the USJ because I had you and my friends backing me up! If you weren't all there, I'd have been beaten to a pulp and captured. Besides, if I go hunting down a villain without a Hero License, I would be breaking the law!" Izuka declared. That was something she'd been taught continuously throughout her time with Pros: it was okay to fight villains if they attacked you, or you did it to save someone's life, but if you went hunting them down, it was considered Vigilantism.

"Well, that's a load off my mind." Toshi sighed with relief, "Sorry to doubt you, my girl! I've known many young heroes run headlong into danger because they won a few victories and suddenly thought they could take on anyone. Or worse… young heroes who have a vendetta and feel that their revenge can be called justice."

Izuka nodded at the sage advice; "I'll be sure to remember that, Papa. What else did you want to talk about?"

"The Work Experience Placements. I wanted to know if you'd made a decision." Toshi said, "I saw all your offers. But before that; I want to hear it! Your Hero Name!"

Izuka blushed, but stood proudly; "I'm the Eternal Hero: Seraphim!"

"Oho! You finally found it, did you? You're own "Origin". I'm glad my girl! The Seraphim, lauded as Angels of Fire and the highest in the pantheon of many religions and beliefs. Saving the innocent with one hand and smiting evil with the other. It suits you, Izuka. The name Seraphim will one day replace All-Might as the most famous hero, and I personally look forward to it! So, how is the decision for Work Experience coming?"

Izuka smiled happily at her father's words and explained the process she wanted to go through to narrow down her selection. All-Might face-palmed at his daughter's suggestion of pulling all-nighters… her body wasn't like a normal person's; she needed to eat a lot and sleep regularly and on a strict schedule, otherwise her power begins to fluctuate and her quirks become hard to control, it was one of the downsides of Izuka's complex and powerful quirks.

"My dear, listen to some advice from your dear old dad… stop overthinking it! Putting some thought into this is a good idea, but what you're doing is just crazy. Read through the list completely and pick the name that sticks out to you the most!" Toshi told her, taking the booklet of offers from her hands and lightly bonking her on the head with it.

Izuka pouted and snatched the booklet back, making a show of slowly and cheekily looking through it to tease her dad. However, after a few moments, her face fell and became a picture of curiosity, worry and… longing? Toshinori watched as his daughter tried to move on from which ever name she'd seen, but no matter how hard she tried, Izuka's eyes would always flick back to the name and when she turned the page, she kept her finger on the page with that name, continuously twitching it as if resisting the urge to flip back to it. Eventually, she gave up and returned to the name that had caught her attention. "I think I have my decision..." she said quietly.

"Well? What is it Izuka? Is it someone you think I'd disapprove of? I assure you, I trust your decision! I'm sure I'd be happy with whichever hero you pick." Toshi flashed his winning smile.

"Even Endeavor?" Izuka answered nervously.

Toshi's eyes widened; "E-Endeavor!? Him!? N-Not that I doubt you, of course, but why him of all people? Didn't you hate him last week? You threw your fight with him to punish him, and even lectured him!" Toshinori pointed out.

"W-Well, it's complicated! Shoto told me that since then, Endeavor has been trying to be a better person. I think I dug up some things he'd buried, and forced him to see what he'd done was wrong. Shoto wants to watch him and see if he's being honest, and I want to see it as well. Plus, he is the best Fire User in Japan and I could learn a lot from him!" Izuka said, the words gushing forth so quickly Toshi could only understand thanks to years of practice, but at the end of the tirade, as Izuka's words got quieter, he heard a sentence that made his heart ache for the girl; "and if I managed to save Endeavor… maybe I can save him too..."

Toshi sighed and hugged his daughter, "Izuka, I love you. You are very sweet and care so much for others… but Shigaraki isn't the kind of person that can be saved."

"I-I know it wouldn't be the same. Even if I made him willing to change, he'd need years of therapy and he'd have to pay for what he did, but… I still want to help him. All for One had him for years… if what Tomura said is true, All for One STILL has him..." Izuka muttered.

"We still don't know if what Shigaraki said is true or not. He might well have been lying to scare you. It's true that without a body, we couldn't confirm All for One is dead, but the man was critically wounded and near death, just as I was. He was probably relying on you healing him and killing me, not the other way around. The chances of him being dead are at least 80%, but that is also why Sir Nighteye is working so hard to catch one of the League's leaders. If he catches one, he can use foresight to see if All for One really is alive." All-Might said, "As for Shigaraki… I won't discourage you from trying to save him, but just remember; if you have to choose between saving him and saving the innocents he would hurt..."

"I know, Papa. I won't sacrifice innocents to save a villain… but that's another reason go get stronger, so I can save everyone without sacrificing anyone. So, is it okay if I go with Endeavor for the Work Experience? He did send an offer after all."

Toshi sighed and scratched his head. A part of him feared that Endeavor would use this as an opportunity to punish Izuka for his defeat, but if Young Shoto believed his father was being genuine, Toshi couldn't really argue; Shoto knew his father better than Toshi did. Still, a "friendly" phone call wouldn't go amiss. "Alright, I think I can agree to that. Now you run along and do what you came to do with Aizawa and those two boys. I wouldn't want to keep you too long!" the man said, giving his daughter a quick hug and a peck on the cheek before heading off to make a certain phone call.

When Izuka finally caught up with Aizawa, Ojiro and Hitoshi, she found that they had already completed most of Hitoshi's Apprehension Test. From the results posted on the display on the wall, Izuka could see Hitoshi was placing mostly at the top of those students with quirks that didn't really improve their performance in the tests, putting him ahead of Toru, Kaminari, Kyoka and Koda. It was a testament to how hard he worked to reach the Hero Course, as he had trained his body vigorously and despite appearing tall and thin, he was covered in well concealed lean muscle. He was just finishing the last of the tests when Izuka walked in.

"Good of you to join us, Midoriya. I take it All-Might had something important to talk about?" Aizawa asked dryly.

"Yes Sensei. He wanted to give me a letter from my grandfather and ask about the Work Experience Offers. How are things going here?" Izuka asked politely.

"I'm done." Hitoshi groaned, performing his last sit up. "Endurance isn't my strong point."

Aizawa nodded and noted his score. "Added together and compared to your classmates, you have scored 16th place in class. Not bad for someone who can't improve their physicality. Now, since Midoriya is here, we can get to work on testing your Plus Ultra Mode. Midoriya, link up."

Izuka nodded and linked with Aizawa, while Hitoshi and Ojiro moved to the centre of the training ground to begin the test. "Hitoshi, remember; your evolved quirk will use a lot more stamina than the normal version, so be sure to use it sparingly when in the field." Izuka told him, tossing him some energy candies to help the boy recover from his apprehension test.

"Got it. I've had this weird feeling in my head since we linked… do I just focus on it to activate Plus Ultra Mode?" Hitoshi asked.

Ojiro nodded; "It's a bit different for everyone, but generally it feels like flipping a switch in your body. Brace yourself though; sometimes the evolved quirk can hurt."

The purple haired boy sighed, "Oh great… well let's get this over with… Plus Ultra Mode!" he yelled, focusing his mind on the feeling in his head. Just as Ojiro said, Hitoshi felt the switch being flipped and his whole body felt energised. He could feel the synapses in his brain firing off rapidly and his emotions felt… not quite stronger, but more potent and concentrated. It was a bizarre feeling, but now it was time to see what it could do!

"Ojiro, don't answer this." Hitoshi ordered. Ojiro obediently kept quiet, but Hitoshi just frowned… it seemed he still required a response to use his brainwashing; just talking to someone wasn't enough.

"The activation conditions haven't changed." Aizawa noted, "Perhaps the effect is more potent?"

"It's hard to tell that." Hitoshi explained, "If my control works, it works completely and I can make the person do anything I want. The only limit is the time I can control them, and that is because of my stamina running out. Since my Brainwashing is also more about controlling the body, I can't make people perform actions that require complex thought on their part"

"Well then maybe it's harder to resist or break free?" Izuka suggested.

"That's a point. When you brainwashed me in the Sports Festival, I was freed when I took a hard bump to the shoulder. And Izuka was able to resist you with only a moment of confusion. Maybe that's changed?" Ojiro offered.

Hitoshi nodded; "Alright, I'll start with you. Ojiro, answer me."

"Sure." Ojiro smirked, his eyes growing blank the second the word left his lips. Hitoshi smiled and nodded, focusing on the feeling of the brainwashing; it didn't seem to be any different. At Hitoshi's nod, Izuka walked up to Ojiro and gently punched his arm, just hard enough to break the control. As Hitoshi expected, his control snapped away, but unlike normal, he felt it cling for a second before letting go, as if his control was sticker.

"Do it again! I think I have something!" Hitoshi said urgently. Ojiro spoke and was immediately controlled again, but this time, when Izuka broke the control, Hitoshi focused on his control and forced it to remain in place. It was tough, and his control over Ojiro felt much weaker, but Hitoshi was able to maintain control even if the victim was snapped out of it. It took a lot of effort, but it proved Hitoshi could keep control of his opponents even if the enemy knew how to snap them out of it. When he attempted the same with Izuka, he found she could still resist his control, though she visibly struggled with it and her movements were much slower as she tried to shrug off the control. In a moment of frustration, Hitoshi pushed his control beyond his limits, causing Izuka to flop to the ground, unable to move. Aizawa theorised that if he overused his quirk on someone who resisted it, he could temporarily disable the target's motor functions by forcibly overstimulating them. Hitoshi was able to keep Izuka paralysed until his stamina ran out and he was forced to release his control, whereupon she was able to get up and groggily give the boy some more energy candies.

Aside from forcing his opponent's body to stop working and maintaining control through resistance or strong physical sensations, Hitoshi also found he had gained one other ability. Focusing on the unusual feeling of his emotions, he was able to influence anyone he looked in the eye; for example he focused on his feelings of irritation and looked at Ojiro, causing the Tailed Boy to become irritated. As a side effect of this power, Hitoshi found that whatever emotion he inflicted on others would become muted within himself, and each successive use of the same emotion would be weaker until he couldn't feel that emotion at all. It took roughly half an hour for Hitoshi to regain an emotion he had completely used up, but it had been worth it to force his feelings of amusement on Ojiro, Izuka and Aizawa to make all three giggle and laugh like school girls. Cementoss, who was watching from a distance, subtly recorded Eraserhead's laughter; it'd make great blackmail material!

Finally, they were done and Hitoshi was so exhausted, Ojiro had to carry him on his back as they made their way back to the Dorms.

"That Quirk of yours is pretty amazing, Shinso." Ojiro complimented, "I'm sorry I was kind of a jerk to you before. I let my pride get ahead of me in the Sports Festival and took it out on you."

"Thanks, Ojiro. For the record, I'm sorry too. I insulted you to get a rise out of Izuka. I don't believe you're a dumb monkey, and your pride isn't a bad thing." Hitoshi admitted, somewhat embarrassed.

"I must admit, I'm impressed by your abilities, Shinso." Aizawa-sensei said, "If I wasn't an active teacher, I'd be tempted to take you on as an Intern."

"R-Really? You were that impressed?" Hitoshi blushed. Eraserhead was his personal hero, much like All-Might was for Izuka, or Ingenium for Tenya.

"I was. Abilities like those are extremely valuable when fighting villains and petty criminals. Plus it helps even the playing field against groups and can be a comfort to others too." Aizawa smiled, ruffling the boy's purple locks.

"Yeah! Your quirk is absolutely amazing! It's perfect for a ton of hard situations! Hostage Situations, Suicide Prevention and even forcing Villains to fight each other! Plus, you can use your new empath abilities to comfort frightened civilians by infusing them with your confidence or happiness, and you can improve your odds in a fight by casting fear on your opponents, which has the side effect of making you less scared! There are so many applications for Combat, Rescue and Support! I'm a bit jealous!" Izuka gushed, scribbling away in one of her ever-present notebooks. Hitoshi had his own page ever since Izuka fought him; she was so confident he'd become an amazing Hero, she'd made it almost immediately when she had the chance. Shinso blushed at the praise and steadfastly tried to keep his expression neutral by fighting the smile that threatened to burst free.

When the four reached the Dorms, they found all the other members of Class 1-A hanging out in the common area. Momo and Kyoka were having tea with Inko, while Tenya, Tsuyu and Shoji were having a study session. Everyone else was gathered around the TV, where Katsuki and Kirishima were in the middle of a Pokemon Battle which Kirishima was currently winning. Kaminari and Sero were currently trying to explain Pokemon to Shoto, who looked completely bewildered by the game.

"Hi guys! We're back!" Izuka announced.

"Hey Izuka! Hey Shinso and Ojiro!" Ochako chirped, "How'd it go?"

Hitoshi smirked; "Well, I'm ranked 16th in the class, so that's a thing."

"He was incredible! Just wait until you see his Plus Ultra Mode!" Izuka smiled, hugging Ochako in greeting.

"Yes yes, he was very good." Aizawa cut Izuka off before she could start gushing again, "Now everyone that's filled out their Work Experience Forms, hand them in now."

The Class paused their activities and went to get their forms while Izuka quickly filled out her own. Once they were all handed in, Aizawa looked over them with mild interest, until his eyes caught Izuka's.

"Midoriya, you're going with Endeavor?"

That one sentence froze the entire room, until each person turned to look at her, aghast. Only Shoto and Kacchan didn't seem horrified, but they were still surprised.

"Izuka, why Endeavor? I thought you hated him!" Momo exclaimed.

"Well..." Izuka explained what she'd told All-Might, about how she wanted to see his change for herself and learn from the best fire user. Shoto felt happy that Izuka would be beside him; he'd be much braver with his father if she was backing him up.

"Hey Bro, are you cool with this?" Eijiro asked, looking to Katsuki.

"Sure I am, Weird Hair. She may be a dopey little rabbit, but Izuka's also an angel now, right? An Angel isn't going to be taken down by some fire spitting nobody. If that flaming pile of garbage really has changed for the better, then great, but if not, Izuka can take all his skills and knowledge then kick him to the curve." Katsuki said dismissively, more focused on how to knock out Eiji's Alolan Golem.

"Bakugou! You make it sound so immoral! Like Izuka is a thief!" Tenya protested.

"Hey, if Fiery McInferiority Complex isn't going to use 'em right, might as well let a real hero try 'em out."

While the boys argued over it, Hitoshi plonked himself down on the sofa with Mina and Tsuyu, who eagerly asked him how his day had gone. The boy admired that no one in class hesitated when talking to him; all of them trusting him unlike most of his old classmates. He relaxed in his seat, idly chatting while Katsuki and Tenya argued, Eijiro continued to knock out Katsuki's pokemon and Shoto talked quietly with Izuka, all while Auntie Inko smiled in the background.

Hitoshi Shinso really loved his new class.


	2. The Trial of Support

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 **The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 2: The Trial of Support**

With the Hero Work Experience right around the corner, Class 1-A had been working hard to finish all their work so there wouldn't have to worry about catching up after they came back from their short internships. Hitoshi had been put through the wringer by Aizawa-sensei, who had him participate in both the Combat Trial and Rescue Trial with a ragtag group of his fellow students looking to increase their grades. For the Combat Trial, he was teamed with Kirishima, Ojiro, Kaminari and Sato; replacing Koda on their team since in the original Combat Trial, only Koda had been effective. With Hitoshi's help and the increases to their power thanks to the Plus Ultra Mode: this new team was able to successfully win the Defence Match against Aoyama, Mina, Tsuyu, Tenya and Ochako, though they still couldn't overcome Todoroki's team in the Attack Match.

From there, Hitoshi had been teamed with Aoyama, Kaminari and Sero (replacing Mineta) for the Rescue Trial, and while he was much less effective here compared to the Combat Trial and ultimately less helpful than Mineta had been, he had proven a hard worker, to the point he was actually scolded by Izuka for being too reckless with his own health. The Class thought that was funny coming from her, but Izuka reminded them that SHE came back while they didn't, so it wasn't as big a deal. The Class had thought over wise, resulting in Izuka spending an hour trapped in a group hug while the class watched a TV show together.

In Academics, Hitoshi was also doing well; he had been one of the top students in his old class and quickly established himself as one of the top ten of Class 1-A, only behind Momo, Izuka, Tenya, Katsuki and Shoto. With some tutoring from Izuka, he hadn't had much trouble catching up with the Hero Academics Classes, especially since the girl compulsively wrote everything remotely hero related into her notebooks.

Strangely, after spending a week living together, small cliques began to form among the students. They were all friends (or at least friendly with each other) and came together as a class and one unified group normally, but they started to split off into smaller groups when in the Dorms. There was the usual "Guys" and "Girls" groups, mostly limited to sleepovers and locker room banter, but there were more specific groups. The Student Council Group was made up of Momo, Izuka, Tenya, Ochako, Shoto and Katsuki, and they were generally considered the leaders of the class due to their intelligence and power. Ochako had been surprised to be included here, but she was seen as a powerful figure after her battle with Shoto. Then there was the "Oddball" group, consisting of Sato, Koda, Shoji and Tokoyami, the people that were either too quiet or too shy to get involved much with the rest of the class outside of a few one to one friendships. Then there was the Baku Squad: a group led by Katsuki and consisting of Mina, Kaminari, Kirishima, Kyoka and Sero who had come together under Katsuki's leadership. They were considered the unofficial Vanguard of the Izuka Protection Squad, and Tokoyami would frequently spend time with this group, as well as the others. There were dozens of cliques and combinations, all based around shared traits and interests. In keeping with her role as Heart of Class 1-A, Izuka would often flit back and forward between the groups, and had even gone to see Mineta in General Studies once to see how he was fitting in.

A lot had happened after only a week of moving to the dorms, but it had finally come; their last day of school before their Work Experience began. The Class was eagerly awaiting the day's hero lesson, especially Hitoshi, who was all caught up and eager to learn something new.

Aizawa-sensei finished Homeroom and took out a small card, holding it up to show the word "Support" written on it. "Today will be the Trial of Support; the third and final beginner trial. This Trial will introduce you to the concepts of a Support Hero and give you an idea of what to expect from Support Work. Once this trial is finished, you'll all have some experience in each of the three hero disciplines, just in time to begin your Work Experience. We'll be going to Training Ground Beta, and Snipe and Hound Dog will be joining us. Now, all your costumes have been fully repaired and the requested modifications have been made. Shinso, your costume is also complete, so you'll be able to wear it. Now go get changed and meet at the bus."

The Class cheered and ran to grab the cases with their costumes before running to get changed. Izuka was happy to get to wear her costume again, since the original was destroyed by Tomura, and she was even happier that Tsuyu had found the choker her mother had made her. Izuka's costume was an almost perfect replica of how it had been before, the only difference was that her shawl now had a built in hood with long bunny ears, so she could pull it up in the rain and maintain the look of All-Might's hair without having to keep her headband ignited. Izuka was one of the first to reach the bus and got a good look at all the altered costumes of her classmates.

Aoyama had replaced his red wing visor with a full Knight Helmet (minus a mouth covering) to match his costume, and had it connected to the "Sparkle Inner" system, so Aoyama could direct his laser to his helmet and fire it from the eyes. All the Sparkle Emitters had been changed to be more like gems, to match Aoyama's bellybutton and each was equipped with a special closing lens that let Aoyama focus the beam without his Plus Ultra Mode. He also had more of these Sparkle Emitters placed on his costume, namely his palms and heels, so he could use his laser from his feet to shoot himself upward, and fire them from his hands to give him a wider range of attack. Lastly, his cape had been remade with special fibre optics so if Aoyama wished it, he could channel his laser to the emitters his cape was mounted on and light it up so brightly, it would blind anyone. This didn't do any damage, since the laser was so split up it had no intensity, but it was effective as a distraction and to create cover.

Mina hadn't altered her costume much at all, only adding a hair band that connected to her horns to reinforce and protect them if she hardened them for an attack. Tsuyu's costume was also mostly the same, though it had two additions; the first being a small and easily missed dart launcher attached to her gloves. These would shoot darts dipped in a very weak variation of the poison Tsuyu created in Plus Ultra Mode, so they would cause minor sickness and hallucinations but not any serious illness. The second addition was a small pouch on the back of her belt, filled with small syringes meant for Tsuyu herself; they contained a medicine created by Recovery Girl that would allow Tsuyu to maintain her normal personality for a short time in Plus Ultra Mode. Each syringe only lasted a minute do to the volatile nature of Tsuyu's altered form and the relative weakness of the medicine.

Tenya's costume only changed in colour scheme. It was still mostly white, but now there was thick blue stripes along the sides and running down the centre of his frame. The black underclothes were also changed to a vibrant blue and the armour had blue wind decals on the chest, arms and engine covers to match his new name: Blue Zephyr. Ochako had kept the look of her costume the same, but had asked the Support Department to apply new functions to the wrists and belt, since it was now less important for her to counter nausea (though those functions were still there, just shrunk down). Her left wrist now contained a spool of strong cable attached to a hidden cable launcher (designed for catching foes out of her reach) and the right wrist held a hidden communication device that interfaced with her helmet. Her belt now contained a supply of small smoke bombs that would pop out of the hole at the buckle and could be used to blind the enemy, so Ochako could touch them with her quirk.

Ojiro had changed his costume almost completely; replacing the Karate style clothing with a stylised version of Shaolin Monk Robes with an exposed shoulder. The shoulder had a metal pauldron to protect it, modelled after the face of a snarling ape in a Chinese style. It was more flexible and made of breathable material to make Ojiro's movements easier for him, though most of the style change was to make him stand out a bit more. Kaminari had updated his outfit with some new gear; namely a utility belt, a special visor and an odd cannon-like object on his right arm. The cannon could fire small disks known as Pointers that were adhesive so they stuck to whatever he shot. These pointers acted like lightning rods; drawing Kaminari's electricity towards them, allowing him to aim his lightning without having to use Plus Ultra Mode. As a side benefit, his visor displayed information on where the pointers were, so if Kaminari tagged an opponent with one, he'd be able to find them even while hiding. The belt contained clips of these pointers, as well as an extendable baton that could channel electricity, so Kaminari had a fairly safe melee attack.

Kirishima's costume was much the same as before, but now had reinforced fabric sleeves to cover his previously bare arms. This was due to his arms being sharp when hardened, so the sleeves were so he could safely carry and protect civilians without hurting them or giving up his hardness. Koda hadn't changed his costume at all, though now he had a cute rabbit shaped backpack, meant to make him look less scary to kids and to carry a series of special smoke bombs. These smoke bombs released a gas that made it difficult for people to concentrate or focus, putting them into an almost trance-like state so Koda could control them with his quirk's Plus Ultra Mode. Sato had kept his costume the same, though he now had removable knuckle dusters with teeth-shaped protrusions on the knuckles and could be swapped out for canine or molar variants. Shoji's costume had been edited only a little bit; he gained special cloth armbands for his additional limbs, that when detached, would become smocks for his mini-clones to where. Shoji wasn't prudish and he recognised his clones were genderless, but he also recognised that many people would be put off by the nakedness of his small clones.

Kyoka had updated her costume by adding a pair of headphones and some bracelets that acted in the same way as the amplifiers in her boots. She also had a small recording device attached to her choker, so she could record people's voices and properly imitate them later with her Plus Ultra mode. She also had a few small gadgets in her jacket pockets that she could plug her jacks into to improve their ability to attack. Sero's costume was modified with long gloves that cover his arms and made it hard for the enemy to see his elbows. There were special openings to allow him to still shoot tape, and by flipping a switch on his wrist, he could close the opening and cause his tape to feed through the glove and shoot from an alternative opening on the back of the hand. Since the openings were always the same size and concealed the actual tape dispensers, it made it impossible to see what size tape Sero would use, since one couldn't see him narrow or widen the dispensers. Tokoyami's outfit was mostly the same, though the cloak was redesigned to look more like feathered wings folded up, and a special device attached to Tokoyami's chest could produce a very powerful light to force Dark Shadow back under control.

Shoto's costume was revamped completely. He know wore a blue body suit made from temperature resistant cloth, white boots (with spikes for walking on ice) and gloves, a utility belt that contained a first aid kit, a special armoured vest that could regulate his temperature and a visor connected to a pair of earpieces. The earpieces could be used for communication, and the visor was equipped with heat vision and a heads up display to show his body's temperature and warn him if he was hitting dangerous levels of hot or cold. Toru's costume was also changed completely, in that now she actually had one. She had abandoned her old gloves and shoes for a one piece body suit that covered her hands and feet. It was white in colour and made of a special material that would turn invisible with a flick of a switch (located on the back of the neck). The suit also extended up her face a bit, covering her mouth and nose. Toru could turn the costume invisible at will, and the device on her neck that managed this function also came with a voice modulator, to allow Toru to potentially imitate others again.

Katsuki had altered his costume only slightly, the same as Izuka. Since Izuka's hood and headband resembled a rabbit, Katsuki had his neck bracer covered in sandy blond fur; a mane for Izuka's lion. In addition, he'd had new weapons installed into the prongs of his grenadier gauntlets; a short blade (about the half the length of Katsuki's forearm) could flip out from the front and from the sides of the prongs, a metal shield could be folded out, giving him an offense and defence for when he used his sweat up in his Atomic moves. His entire costume had also been reinforced to survive even the force of Katsuki's most powerful Atomic Flash, so he wouldn't be forced to run around in his underwear like in the Sports Festival. The last altered costume was Momo's; since she no longer needed it thanks to her Plus Ultra Mode, Momo had replaced her book of constructs with a much smaller First Aid Kit (primarily for Izuka, since it contained enough blood to keep her from having to die again during an emergency heal), and now had a small headset that doubled as a red face mask. The display was voice controlled by Momo and could look up the construction of anything in her old lexicon and display it, for when her Plus Ultra Mode ran out of juice.

Then there was Hitoshi Shinso, the first entirely new costume in class. His costume was a simple black tank top, black cargo pants and black boots (for blending in the dark) and a long black overcoat with speakers hidden in the lining, connected to a mic in the collar so his voice could be projected further. Normally this was impossible, as his voice lost its power when broadcast through a mic or speaker, but Mei Hatsume had specially designed it, so instead of normal amplification, it used a kind of artificial echo to make his voice travel further without actually processing it through a machine. He also wore a special helmet shaped similarly to Ochako's and Sero's, though his had a smart glass visor that could be made opaque or transparent with the flick of a switch, so people could see his face if he wanted. This was for a similar purpose to Aizawa's goggles; to hide who he was making eye contact with, plus the fact that a person could see their reflection in the opaque visor had a psychological effect as they began feeling strange emotions welling up inside them, as if Shinso was making the villain a mirror of him. It made them less mentally sound and thus easier to control. His final piece of gear was a special mouth guard beneath his mask; the Artificial Vocal Cords: Persona Code. These were designed to use plates and internal echoing to mimic the voices of others, both to catch his opponents off guard and further mess with his opponent's minds as he spoke in their voice, their face reflected off his mask and his emotions flowed through them. Persona Code was fairly advanced, as the internal system of Shinso's full mask could record a person's voice, analyse it and then create a chip, that when inserted into the Persona Code, would automatically shift the plates and echoing around to mimic the voice that had been analysed.

Once the whole class was together and finished commenting on each other's costumes (Izuka buried her face in Katsuki's fur collar, gushing at the softness while Katsuki smirked) Aizawa finally showed up and loaded them on the bus to deliver them to Training Ground Beta; the City Arena. The ride mostly passed with the students explaining their new and altered costumes while Izuka eagerly wrote it all down.

Finally, they arrived at the Training Ground and piled out to find Snipe and Hound Dog waiting for them. The moment they were off the bus, Hound Dog bounded over to them and began walking around them, growling and sniffing before charging at Izuka and sweeping her up in a hug.

"Pup! You haven't visited me in ages, and then I heard what happened at the hospital with Ingenium and Argh RUFF RUFF BARK!" The hero's words gave way to loud, incoherent barking as he held the giggling Izuka to his chest.

"Okay okay! I'm sorry Ryo, I didn't meant to neglect you! I've been really busy." Izuka apologised, rubbing the hero's ears. Class 1-A looked on, bewildered, while Snipe chuckled and Aizawa face-palmed.

"Midoriya, Hound Dog, remember the rules? While school is in session, we must act appropriately as Student and Teacher. Even Present Mic and Midnight have managed that." Aizawa scolded.

Hound Dog whined and reluctantly put Izuka down before turning to the students; "I apologise for that display! I am Ryo Inui, known better as Hound Dog! I'm the school Guidance Counsellor."

The Class greeted him, with Momo giggling at Izuka's embarrassed blush; "You get along well with all the U.A Teachers, don't you?"

"Yeah. With my parents having no other family, I only ever had Uncle Haru. But when I started coming to U.A for tutoring, all the teachers became like my Aunts and Uncles. Hound Dog used to babysit me when my parents went on dates and Aizawa-sensei, Midnight-sensei and Present Mic-sensei were busy. He thinks of me as a Puppy in his pack." Izuka explained.

"Moving on." Aizawa cut in, making both girls bow apologetically, "We'll be having the Support Trial here. Hound Dog will explain."

The Hound Hero growled his approval and turned to the class with his canine eyes; "Support is the most common, but least lauded form of Hero Work! Combat Heroes deal with fighting villains, defending civilians and capturing criminals, while Rescue Heroes deal with saving people from all manner of dangerous situations, including natural disasters and even Suicide attempts, but it is the Support Hero that facilitates this! As the name suggests, Support Heroes exist to support and supplement the other heroes and emergency services. They are the ones we rely on to control the crowd, block off dangerous areas, locate enemies and trapped civilians and heal the injured. We also rely on them to supplement us in combat and rescue, not by directly fighting but by strengthening us and weakening the enemy! This trial will test your ability to do just that!"

Snipe cut in, "There are two parts to this here trial. Support in Combat and Support in Rescue, and y'all be helping out me and Hound Dog as we go through some simulated scraps. I'm a Combat Hero, while Ol' Hound Dog is a Rescue and Support Hero, but for this trial, I'll be attempting to rescue those Dolls of Power Loader's, while Hound Dog takes down them Villain Bot varmints."

"So our trial will be to help support Heroes in a situation not suited to them?" Kyoka asked.

"Got it in one, Little Lady." Snipe nodded, "You'll be in Posses of four, and will be paired with either me or Hound Dog while another team is with the other. Then y'all will swap places and do the other trial. Same as the Attack and Defence battle trial, but you ain't fighting each other."

Hound Dog continued; "The Rules are fairly simple; assist me in defeating the villain bots without destroying them yourself, and assist Snipe in finding and rescuing the trapped dolls. You'll also be in charge of keeping us in top condition with healing, tracking enemies or civilians for us and directing the flow of the masses and emergency services. More Robots will be used to simulate civilians trying to watch the event, as well as Police and Paramedics. Pup, I mean, Midoriya, the Dolls still can't be healed by your quirk, but Power Loader assured us that the injuries to the Dolls will be consistent with human injuries, so you'll be able to use your medical knowledge to prevent further injury and inform paramedics what's wrong."

Izuka nodded in understanding as Aizawa once again took the lead; "The teams not currently participating will be watching with me in the Observation Point. You will be scored based on how useful you were in Support. The teams are as follows; Team A will be Uraraka, Koda, Sero and Bakugou. Team B will be Iida, Kirishima, Jiro and Hagakure. Team C will be Asui, Kaminari, Shoji and Yaoyorozu. Team D will be Ashido, Ojiro, Todoroki and Shinso. Team E will be Aoyama, Sato, Tokoyami and Midoriya."

The teens looked at their teammates; unlike the Rescue Trial, each team had at least one member that would be useful for support and each one consisted of members that could at least work together moderately well. The only fears Aizawa had were the Bakugou-Koda team and the Aoyama-Tokoyami team, since both teams had complete opposite personalities on them. Oddly, Bakugou and Koda seemed to get along fine, and to Aizawa's surprise, the Explosive Boy signed a brief "hello" to Koda. _"He likely learnt alongside Izuka and Inko."_ Aizawa thought. On the other hand, Tokoyami looked slightly perturbed to be on a team with Aoyama, since their quirks were as opposite as their personalities.

Izuka looked at her team with a small amount of concern; Aoyama and Tokoyami were a worry, but the bigger problem was that aside from herself, they were all Hard Combat Types! Sure they had some utility, but they were mostly focused on dealing damage and none of them had any kind of sensory quirk. Curious, she raised her hand; "Sensei, am I allowed to use my Links here?"

Aizawa smirked; "No one can do anything until the Trial starts. Once the trial begins, the only rule is you cannot leave the trial area. Beyond that, so long as you aren't endangering yourself or others, I don't care what you do." he said. Izuka grinned; that meant she could use her links with anyone she'd already linked with!

With that, Aizawa led Teams C, D and E to the Observation Point while Teams A and B went with Snipe and Hound Dog to the trial areas. From the Observation Point, it was easy for the other students to see that the Training Ground had been remodelled again since they were here for the Battle Trial, and a large population of Robotic Dolls were roaming about like Civilians in a real city. A Fire Station, Police Station and Hospital had been constructed in three different spots in the city to act as starting points for the Faux Emergency Services. The Trials all began the same way; the Four Supporters would be following the Heroes on a patrol, when suddenly, they'd be alerted to an attack or disaster in the city and be required to go and act. These were a surprise to both the Supporters and the Heroes, as each scenario was set by Aizawa, who simply tapped a touch screen in the Observation Point to select the location of the disaster.

 **[TEAM A]**

Team A, consisting of Uraraka, Koda, Sero and Bakugou found that for them, the Support Trial was surprisingly easy. In the Combat Support Scenario, they weren't alerted of an attack but instead ambushed by the Villain Bots as they walked past a shopping mall. The moment the attack began, Sero began taping off the battle zone and shouting for the Dolls to follow him away from the chaos while Hound Dog battled the Robots. Hound Dog was strong, and despite not being a combat specialist, he was very good at fighting the robots, so he wore special bracelets to weaken him, forcing him to rely on his Supporters for assistance. Once the Dolls were either escorted away or kept from the battle area with Sero's tape, the supporters threw themselves into helping out. Koda would call on birds to distract the robots so Hound Dog could hit them, as well as alert him if a Doll was wandering back into danger. Sero, on top of cordoning off the area also helped trip or bind Villains for Hound Dog to smash, or captured damaged villains so they couldn't rejoin the fray. Ochako exploited her new smoke bombs to interfere with the Robot's sensors so she could touch them, knowing that Hound Dog could still find them through the scentless smoke. Katsuki was the one who had the hardest time, not because he couldn't act as support, but because he was tempted to destroy the robots himself, since his quirk was better suited for it. Instead, he left the battle area and used his explosions as beacons to alert the Emergency Services to the location, as well as warn civilian bots away. He'd then rejoined the battle and used his quirk to weaken the thick armour of the bots, so Hound Dog could rip through them. Hound Dog managed to easily sweep the bots aside with their support, only taking a single small wound before Ochako began floating a piece of destroyed robot and using it like a shield to defend him. It took them only 20 minutes to clear the zone of enemies, with no injuries aside from the small wound on Hound Dog's arm (which was promptly healed by Izuka).

The Rescue Support was even easier for them. Koda was able to use his birds (and even, fearfully, the insects) to find bots trapped in the collapsed building they and Snipe had been sent too. His cute backpack also made the Child Bots trust him more so he could direct them away from the disaster area. Sero repeated his earlier performance by using his tape to block the area off to civilians, then began using it to help pull Snipe up to higher areas he couldn't normally reach. Ochako was assigned to the opposite task, lowering him down safely and also removing rubble so Snipe could rescue the Dolls trapped beneath. Katsuki was the beacon again, drawing the Emergency Services, then using his explosive sweat to very carefully bust through rubble. It was much slower than with Ochako, since he had to focus carefully to keep his sweat from detonating all at once and keeping the explosions as small as possible to remove the rubble without hurting the dolls. However, the Hero Students were introduced to an aspect of Rescue they didn't like; the poor souls that were considered DOA; Dead on Arrival. Despite them being only robots, it was oddly hard for the students to pull the crumpled forms of destroyed civilians from the rubble, especially the odd child bot that was included among them. They succeeded in helping Snipe save everyone within 37 minutes, but they were slightly soured on the whole thing due to the dead dolls. They were close enough to real humans to be effective proxies, but as a result, they also triggered emotional responses in the heroes like real humans; an ugly but necessary part of their design.

All in all, Team A scored an A grade, missing out on a A+ due to how long they took in the Rescue Support, as well as Katsuki's somewhat terrifying method of getting attention.

 **[TEAM B]**

Alongside Team A was Team B; Iida, Kirishima, Jiro and Hagakure. They found themselves having a fair bit more trouble than their counterparts, but were able to overcome most of their difficulties. They started off in Rescue Support with Snipe and were called in to deal with a major apartment building fire that threatened to consume the area. When they got there, they found the building completely wreathed in flame and billowing black smoke; the screams of trapped dolls echoing from within. Since none of them had Quirks for Fire-fighting, Tenya ran full pelt to find some members of the Fire Department and lead them to the area while Snipe and the remaining three students entered the building. Eijiro was the vanguard, hardening his body and using his sturdy form to push through the flames and debris, clearing a safe path for his comrades, as his hardened body could take a lot more heat than his normal skin. Kyoka assisted as many expected her too; by using her amazing hearing to find the trapped dolls, but also occasionally using her jacks with her boot speakers to blast away flames that would be too much for Eijiro. Toru was forced to use her Plus Ultra Mode almost exclusively so she could stay visible and use her invisible bubble to see through walls to make sure it was safe to bust through if they came to an obstacle. They had managed to get most of the Dolls out before Tenya finished getting the Emergency Services to the building and running around, keeping the Civilian Gawkers away. They had the situation resolved within thirty minutes, leaving the fire to be put out by the professional robots.

The Combat Support was much more their speed. Not long after going to meet Hound Dog, they were alerted to a hostage situation at a Hospital, so they moved in. Hound Dog was big, imposing and easy to spot from a distance, so Toru used her Invisible Bubble to hide him as they approached the Villains with hostages; Kyoka guiding them carefully along the way. The moment Hound Dog engaged the enemy, Tenya and Eijiro got to work; Eijiro placing himself between the Villains and the hostages, using his hardened body to protect them while Tenya quickly grabbed each Hostage and ran away with them, corralling the civilians in a secure area of the Hospital while the Heroes worked. They took 45 minutes to do it, moving slowly in their approach of the villains and having to fight conservatively to protect the hostages, but it was ultimately a win.

Their team scored a B+, having done very well but missing on several opportunities and making a few mistakes. Kyoka had lost them points by entering the burning building while she would have been safer outside, as even though she helped clear debris, she also had to be guarded by Eijiro, splitting his attention. Toru had also lost them some points by basically doing nothing once the battle at the hospital started; she'd done her bit to sneak Hound Dog in, but could have continued to support him by rendering him invisible when the Villain Bots attacked, or distracting them so the Hero could catch his breath. Tenya was docked a few points too, since his way of keeping people away was too panicked and erratic, as he had sacrificed his usual orderly nature for haste.

 **[TEAM C]**

When the first two teams were done, Teams C and D moved in to take their place, with Tsuyu, Kaminari, Shoji and Momo of Team C moving to join Hound Dog first. They were confident; extremely so, as they had a mix of abilities that they felt could conquer almost any situation. For the most part, they were right. Their Combat Support Scenario was a rather shocking one that hit a bit too close to home for them; it was a School invaded by Villains. The Villain Bots had taken over the school and now held the students hostage, keeping the Police Bots away. One Robot had tried to push their luck and one of the Villains had shot a student, ending any chances of the Police moving onward without the Villains being secured first. Shoji released all four of his clones to sneak around the school, giving him in-depth scouting information through the sensory link, though the drain left him unable to do anything else. Momo assisted him by creating infrared and heat vision goggles for her teammates to help them find the Villains through walls. Asui stealthily entered the school, hiding in the shadows and ready to leap out and save the students if anything happened. Finally, Kaminari found the power lines and caused a massive surge, making all the electronics in the building go haywire, setting off alarms and causing the lights to explode. In the sudden darkness, Tsuyu and the Shoji-Clones were able to rapidly move around and save students while Hound Dog burst in and defeated the villains. Kaminari tagged the villains with his Pointers, so he could relay their location information to Hound Dog even in the darkness. They were fast; finishing the scenario in 23 minutes, though Hound Dog warned they'd likely lose points since their plan had been reckless.

With Snipe, they chose to be much more cautious. Their Rescue Scenario was something Tsuyu could really sink her teeth into; a destroyed water main had flooded a part of the city, namely a main road and as a result, there had been a major car pile up. Momo used her quirk to make a megaphone, announcing to the Dolls were to go while the heroes worked and keeping other dolls from interfering. Shoji used his immense strength to rip open car doors so Snipe could get the people within, while Tsuyu ventured into the centre of the flooding, where the water was deepest, so she could use some rubble to make a rudimentary patch for the broken pipe to stop the water continuing to build. Kaminari, as an Electric Type, found he couldn't do much here, though he did discover he could absorb the electricity from car batteries. He also discovered he could combine his pointers with Snipe's homing to be able to accurately land them on almost anything, which he used to keep track of the status of the Emergency Services. This time, they were done in only 14 minutes!

They were ecstatic to receive an A-, only docked two grades due to Kaminari being relatively unhelpful in the Rescue Support and their plan in the Combat Support being risky. Still, they were very happy with their grade.

 **[TEAM D]**

Team D; Mina, Ojiro, Shoto and Hitoshi, found themselves starting off with the Rescue Support while Team C was at the school, and Hitoshi was overjoyed to be involved in an exercise where he didn't feel like a newbie amongst pros like he had in the catch up trials. He had been told by Aizawa that while the Robots couldn't be programmed to work with Izuka's healing (they lacked DNA, so her quirk had nothing to base itself off), they could be programmed to be effected by his brainwashing. Basically, if he spoke to them and they responded, all he had to do was start his next sentence with the word "Brainwash" and they would obey one order from him. He put this to the test in the Rescue Support Scenario, which turned out to be minor earthquake levelling a residential suburb. With his quirk, Hitoshi was able to easily order the civilians to evacuate and stay out of the area while Shoto created Ice barriers to keep new Civilians from coming to investigate, leaving only a single wide opening for Emergency Services, which was guarded by Hitoshi to keep people out. Beyond that, Mina and Ojiro were only able to support Snipe by using their acid and strength to help clear rubble, while Shoto occasionally used his fire or ice to open alternative paths to trapped dolls. Since they had no detection abilities, they took much longer than the other teams; taking a full 45 minutes and verging on timing out.

The Combat Support Scenario went much smoother. It was a stereotypical bank robbery, and unlike the last few teams' scenarios, there was no hostage element. Ojiro was completely unable to help without fighting himself, so he was forced to discard his pride and leap about the bank howling like a monkey and throwing things to distract the villains. Mina and Shoto were more useful, able to use their quirks to make the ground unstable for the villains or weaken their armour for Hound Dog, and Hitoshi had even been able to brainwash a few of the villains into capturing each other, saving the Pro some work. Without hostages and with so many powerful combat quirks involved, Team D was able to clear the Scenario in a staggering 8 minutes; the fastest time ever recorded for this scenario!

Thanks to their amazing record offsetting some of the trouble of their Rescue Operation, Team D achieved a grade of A, and Aizawa-sensei took a lot of pleasure out of naming Hitoshi as the team's star player, making the boy blush happily at the praise, as well as the respect of his teammates.

 **[TEAM E]**

When it was finally time for Izuka and her team to take to the field, they were alone in the city. Since there was an odd number of Teams, they'd be the only one operating alone, meaning whichever Hero they weren't currently supporting would be resting and waiting for them. They were assigned to Hound Dog first, so they'd be supporting him in combat, which Izuka was confident they'd do well in.

As they walked to meet up with Hound Dog to start the trial, Sato turned to her; "Hey Izuka, are you cool taking charge here? You're the best strategist out of the four of us."

"I can do that if you want. Once the trial starts, I'll link with you to assist in planning." Izuka smiled.

"Dazzling, darling." Aoyama cheered, "My laser is amazing for destroying the enemy bots, but alas it is not meant for a supporting role."

Izuka nodded; "I think you can do it. Use your laser as a beacon to attract the police, then help weaken the Villains by shooting their joints and leaving them open for Hound Dog-Sensei."

"Oh hey, that sounds good Aoyama!" Sato grinned, "What about me? What should I do Midoriya?"

Izuka paused for a moment; Sato's quirk really was just sugar boosted strength, though with Plus Ultra Mode he could use sugar to make himself sturdier too… "Perhaps you could use your strength to grapple the enemy and keep them still while Sensei attacks? Oh, and you can probably use Plus Ultra Mode to make yourself tougher and protect civilians as a shield." she turned to Tokoyami, "You can do stuff like that too! Dark Shadow can help in the fight by distracting the enemy while you keep Civilians away. Plus, because Dark Shadow is kind of stretchy, he'd be good and binding the enemy for Sensei!"

Tokoyami nodded in thanks; "I will subdue our foes. Let us go."

Team E quickly found Hound Dog after that. The Pro had a strange look on his face that Izuka couldn't quite place, but she ignored it as the Combat Support Scenario began. A trio of colossal Zero Point Robots smashed through the buildings into the main street, forcing Hound Dog and Izuka to rush to save Dolls trapped in their path before they could help in the fight. The second the Civilians were safe and being led away by Tokoyami (sans Dark Shadow), Izuka opened her links with her teammates and moved to link Hound Dog too, but the man moved away from her, refusing the link; "Don't use your Evolution recklessly! Remember, some Plus Ultra Modes can be dangerous, like Asui's! If your evolution made me lose control, then you'd be making a bad situation worse!" he growled. Izuka looked down guiltily, distracting her from the villains that took a massive swipe at her. Hound Dog roared in pain as he dove in the way of the attack, taking a nasty gash to his chest to protect Izuka.

"Sensei!" Izuka screamed, healing Hound Dog while Dark Shadow and Sato moved to disable the enemy's movements. "I'm so sorry!"

"Not now Pup." he growled, getting to his feet. The Zero Pointers were being held in place with some herculean effort by Sato and Dark Shadow, while Aoyama took pot shots at their joints and armour with his Sparkle Point. Hound Dog took the opportunity to tear through the parts weakened by Aoyama. Once the bots were toppled, Hound Dog was able to easily leap to their heads and finish them. All in all, thanks to the rapid nature of the fight, they cleared the scenario in only 10 minutes, though Izuka couldn't feel proud of herself; she'd been almost no help at all…

"Sensei, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to let you get hurt..." Izuka whimpered as her team prepared to move to the next scenario.

Hound Dog sighed and patted her head; "Look Pup, you are a gifted girl with an extraordinary power, but you use it too casually. Your immortality is one thing, but you over use your links too. You need to stay calm and focused while in action, or you'll make mistakes. Today, you made up for it with your healing, but in the future, you might not be able to." he warned gently. Any other student and he'd be barking and snarling, but Izuka was someone who reacted VERY badly to such treatment… He'd scolded her once for nearly hurting herself while he was babysitting her as a child and she'd been so miserably apologetic and took almost a week to perk up again. It had been a horrible week of self-loathing and self-doubt and All-Might had been absolutely furious with Hound Dog for causing it. When it came to her enemies; Izuka could take everything they dished out, but from friends and loved ones, every criticism could turn into a festering wound if not handled carefully.

Izuka sniffled, but took Hound Dog's words to heart. She knew that at the USJ, her friends had overused their new powers and been rendered useless, perhaps putting many of them in a worse situation than they would have been otherwise. She didn't want her power to become a burden on others, so she resolved to be more careful.

After the drama of the Combat Support Scenario, the Rescue Support version was barely a problem at all. They were led by a quiet Snipe to a major construction accident, which turned out to be the same location that Izuka had defended against Shoto all the way back in the Battle Trial. As they ran to reach it, Sato looked to her; "Okay Midoriya, what's the plan this time?"

"Our best bet is for Tokoyami to find and escort the Ambulances while I keep the civilians away from the site and you and Aoyama help Snipe dig for civilians with Dark Shadow. Snipe can only really use the strength of a normal person and try to shoot some rubble, so he'll need your strength, Aoyama's cutting laser and Dark Shadow's claws to help get through to the trapped dolls. I'll keep a fire wall up to make sure no unwanted distractions slip in and I'll link with Kyoka to use her quirk to detect the dolls." Izuka explained, getting three nods of approval from her teammates.

Izuka's plan went pretty much exactly as she hoped, which she was thankful for after her screw up in the Combat Scenario. Izuka linked with Kyoka and (painfully) transformed one of her earlobes into a jack to hear for dolls. As her version was weaker than Kyoka's, her range was much smaller, but still covered the disaster area while her fire wall succeeded in stopping civilians from coming and watching or interfering. Tokoyami was quick to find the Ambulance, using his new Dark Shadow Control Light to grab their attention and lead them to a gap in the fire wall. Sato assisting Snipe in pulling away heavy rubble, while Aoyama used his new laser emitters on his hands to accurate cut apart the collapsed crane. It took them thirteen minutes to rescue the dolls and another seven minutes for Izuka to examine the injured dolls and accurately report their injuries to the paramedics.

Team E was relieved when they were done and headed back to the rest of the class to find their grade. Snipe was still uncharacteristically quiet, which worried Izuka and despite the congratulations of their fellow classmates, Aizawa-sensei and Hound Dog both looked… underwhelmed.

"Good job you four." Aizawa-sensei began, "You passed with some impressive times, however there were a few issues. Your grade for this trial is C."

"What!?" Eijiro exclaimed, "But they did great! Our team did worse than they did and we got a B+!"

"I must agree, Aizawa-sensei! Surely Izuka's moment of distraction wasn't enough to decrease their scores that much!" Tenya protested.

Aizawa sighed; "That incident would have been enough to lower their grade by one level, but it wasn't the main problem. In fact, the problem is a growing one I've seen a lot in this class. Who can tell me what it is?"

Momo shakily raised her hand, "I think I can..." she began, feeling like she was about to betray her friend, "It's because Team E, and the rest of us, are relying too much on Izuka to solve our problems."

"Correct." Aizawa-sensei nodded.

"B-But I don't understand? Shouldn't I help my classmates?" Izuka asked tearfully. She hated the idea that she was the cause of her team getting a low grade.

"Midoriya, stop right there. I can see that self-doubt in your eyes and I don't like it. Your mistake in being distracted would have reduced your grade from an A+ to an A. Minor mistakes by your whole team would have reduced it further to A-. However, it was your three teammates that reduced your grade to a C; you just happen to be involved in it." Aizawa scolded gently, "In each trial and situation we've encountered, you all have had a similar response." he said, addressing all of Class 1-A. "The Battle Trial, the USJ attack, the Rescue Trial and the Team Battle at the Sports Festival; in each event, whoever was teamed with Midoriya relied entirely on her power and strategy to get them through. Whenever you're teamed together without her, you all come up with interesting and varied strategies, but the moment you team with Midoriya, you all forget to think for yourselves! Aoyama, Sato, Tokoyami; each of you know your abilities better than Midoriya, yet you needed her to tell you what to do. Yet I know each of you could have come up with something good of your own. You cannot rely on someone else to direct you! Knowing how to take orders from a superior is one thing, but you must still think for yourselves. You can't call Midoriya every time you hit an obstacle." Aizawa turned his eyes to Izuka herself, softening his tone a bit but still scolding her; "Midoriya, I know you mean well and that your goal is to be a Hero for everyone, but if you solve the problems of your classmates for them, they won't get better on their own. Remember; you are a person, Midoriya; not a tool, weapon or shield for others. We are not villains that only want to exploit you, nor are any of us shallow enough to simply throw you away if we can't use you; have a little more faith in us."

Tokoyami scowled; "I allowed myself to act without thought and failed to trust in myself. I will accept this grade as a wound and grow stronger."

"I shine well enough alone, I shouldn't need the Mademoiselle to make me shine brighter. My friends, I will twinkle more brightly than ever" Aoyama added.

Sato growled to himself; "In every damn trial, I mess up! It's frustrating! But I'm not giving up! I'll keep fighting!"

Izuka wiped her eyes; "Everyone in class is so amazing… I never thought that what I was doing could stop them growing even more amazing. Everyone, please continue to rely on me, but just rely on yourselves too; I know I will be. After all, I needed all of your help to get this far… let's get stronger together."

Hound Dog and Snipe sighed in relief; they had feared Izuka would break down and truthfully, before Class 1-A, she might have done. Aizawa just smirked; Izuka had evolved the quirks of her classmates, and they in turn had evolved and strengthened her character and resolve.

Through their numerous trials and experiences, Izuka had grown to be a more confident, more powerful and more careful young hero with Class 1-A. They all helped each other grow stronger, even Mineta who was no longer in their class (Aizawa had seen the boy training hard every day after school).

Next week would be the Work Experience for the First Years and for the first time, and with that one final lesson taught, Aizawa was certain all would go well. Hopefully.


	3. A Small Flame

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 3: A Small Flame**

The Day finally came for Class 1-A to begin their Work Experience Internships with the Pro-Heroes. The Class would be spending Monday to Saturday with their Pro-Hero guides, learning more about what real Heroes faced on a day to day level. They had spent the morning eagerly gathering their possessions and leaving the dorms, before being taken by Bus to a Train Station in the neighbouring district. They'd all be staying at the homes or offices of the Pros until their internship was over, so this would be their last moments together until they returned.

As they gathered on the platform, Aizawa addressed the class; "You've all got your gear and luggage, right? Remember not to wear you costumes in public unless you have your Supervisor's permission; it's prohibited." he warned.

"Yes Sensei!" the class yelled, all carrying the special cases holding their Hero Gear. Since the station wasn't solely for U.A, a lot of people were watching the group, excitedly commenting and waving or shouting support.

"Alright then, you all have the directions and tickets for your trains, so get going. And be on your best behaviour!" Aizawa ordered. Most people would assume he'd be glad to have a week's break from his students, but in truth, he couldn't relax properly when he didn't know how they were all doing. Shota would be keeping himself very busy this week to keep his mind off it.

His class gave a shouted farewell and began separating to go their own ways. Shoto and Izuka were both going to Endeavor's Hero Agency in the centre of Musutafu City, so they moved off together, only stopping to say goodbye to their friends. Katsuki held Izuka close and kissed her hungrily, being a bit more forward than Izuka would normally be comfortable with in a Public Setting, but since they'd be apart for a week, it was understandable. They had NEVER been apart that long, not since Izuka was rescued.

When the two finally separated, Katsuki cupped Izuka's cheeks; "Be safe, Dopey Little Rabbit. Kick some villains' asses and if Endeavor gets cocky, kick his ass too! Half n Half, if something happens to her, I'll explode you to ashes, but you in an urn and explode that too!"

"Whatever you say, Firecracker." Shoto smirked. He and Katsuki had developed a… love-hate relationship, in which they both loved to piss the other off and one up each other. It was rather generously called a Rivalry, but the two didn't really like each other much; they just respected the other's strength and occasionally agreed on things, such as the need to stop Izuka from getting herself killed all the damn time.

Izuka just rolled her eyes and hugged her boyfriend; "My Lion, I'll be fine. You take care of yourself, eat properly and try to be nice. I know you can be"

"Yeah yeah. Now get a move on." Kacchan said, then spun on his heels and headed off to catch his train. To Katsuki, the faster he left, the faster he'd get to return.

Izuka hugged Momo and Ochako good bye as well and waved them off to their own trains while Shoto waited patiently. Finally, she ran to say goodbye to Tenya.

"Hey Tenya! Good luck this week!" Izuka smiled cheerfully. She was a little worried about the older boy. Ever since he received confirmation that he'd be going to Manual's Hero Agency like he wanted, he'd been distant with his friends and spent a lot of time training and studying. More than once, Izuka had found him trying to hide chest pains, like he'd been using his Plus Ultra Mode recklessly, but he always just said it was heart burn.

Tenya turned to greet Izuka and smiled, the same forced smile he'd worn all week. "Thank you, Izuka. Good Luck to you as well, and you too Todoroki."

Izuka gulped. Tenya turned to walk away without another word and Izuka had a horrid feeling; like she had to say something now or something bad would happen. She wasn't stupid; Izuka was ranked second in the class for academics after all, so she knew why Tenya was REALLY going to Hosu, and it wasn't to be close to his busy brother. Every vague mention of the Hero Killer, either on the news or murmured by his fellow students would make Tenya completely shift from whatever he was doing to full on training mode. He'd left without a word after each mention and would only return hours later, exhausted and with chest pains. Izuka had thought about reporting it, but feared she was wrong; if she was, Tenya might not trust her again or be upset that she'd think him capable of such unheroic thoughts. But now… Izuka had to say something. "H-Hey Tenya? You know I'm your friend, right?"

Tenya paused, "Of course. I have never had a finer friend." he said, a real smile on his face this time.

"I'm glad! But, you know that means I'm here for you, right? Like if you want to talk or someone to train with? You've been distant lately; I've been worried." Izuka confessed.

Shoto's eyes narrowed as he watched Tenya's posture turn even more rigid (if such a thing was possible for the Robotic Boy). Tenya was hiding something; "I understand, Izuka. I apologise if I've been rude or unfriendly this week; I'm simply eager to begin working with real heroes. When I return from Hosu, I'm sure I'll be my usual self again." he promised, then walked away and caught his train, disappearing from sight. Izuka frowned and clenched her chest… she still had that nasty feeling. She truly wished she'd said more to him…

… because she would soon come to regret that day.

Izuka was quiet as she and Shoto caught their own train, but after some attempts by Shoto to cheer her up, the girl eventually relaxed and focused on her own internship with Endeavor. She had to trust Tenya would be fine and do the right thing; in the mean time, she had her own work to do! Since the Musutafu city centre was only a short distance away by train, they arrived quickly and it didn't take long for them to find Endeavor's Agency; it was a colossal skyscraper that overlooked a large park, a testament to the wealth, power and prestige of the Number Two Hero. Shoto had been there before, as Endeavor's son, but few others had since Endeavor didn't allow tours, Press or Heroes not associated with him into the building. In fact Endeavor had never taken on an Intern before, only hiring occasional sidekicks and logistical specialists, so Izuka would be one of the first people inside who wasn't employed by him.

The inside was grand and modern, and every bit of technology was the best available. Endeavor's various sidekicks milled about, going to and from cases or training areas, only taking minor interest in the two teens. The two remained in the foyer at the insistence of a strict older woman, who was Endeavor's secretary, until a Sidekick came to greet them.

"You two are Shoto Todoroki and Izuka Midoriya, right?" the man asked. He was a tall man with a similar build to Aizawa-Sensei. He had red spiky hair and was dressed in a black costume reminiscent of a lizard. This was Flare Drake; Endeavor's most famous sidekick.

"Yes sir! And you're Flare Drake! I'm a fan of yours!" Izuka grinned. Shoto rolled his eyes as Drake's chest puffed up in pride.

"Don't let it get to you; she's every hero's fan." he said dully.

"Still, it's good to have a fan. Working with a guy like Endeavor, it's easy to be overshadowed. Todoroki, you're dad's a real taskmaster! Funnily enough, he's kind of eased up this last week. He still trains us into the dirt and is strict about professionalism, but he hasn't fired any of us all week, and even says Good Work from time to time!" Drake grinned, "Word has it that it's because your Mom is getting out of Hospital soon." he said to Shoto.

Izuka gasped with delight and turned to Shoto, who blushed a bit at the happy look she gave him. "Really? Shoto, why didn't you tell me?"

"Sorry Izuka. It's not set in stone yet. The Doctors agreed to a kind of Home Care Program. Mom will be moving into a house with my sister Fuyumi in Nabo Ward. Her Nurse will be living there too, but it's really just changing her hospital room for a slightly more homey setting. Nothing else is changing." Shoto admitted.

"Still, that's great! I'm happy for you Shoto." Izuka smiled.

Flare Drake chuckled at the boy's blush and snapped his fingers to draw their attention back to him; "So anyway, the Boss asked me to come and escort you up to his office. He would have come down himself, but he's meeting with another Sidekick. Now, let's go!" he said, cheerfully leading the two teens through the building on a small tour.

Endeavor's sidekicks all shared two traits; they were powerful combat heroes, and they took their jobs seriously. No matter how jovial their personalities seemed, when it was time to work, they were all vicious, remorseless battle machines. Many Sidekicks came to him for strength, or because their quirks worked well with his, but so long as they had those two traits, they'd be accepted. As such, there was two very different atmospheres in the agency; one was for those on break. They chatted, relaxed and seemed perfectly happy and normal, like they were office workers around the water cooler. Then there were those training or getting information from the various logistics offices; they were stiff, formal and serious, with none of the relaxation or frivolity of those not actively working. That was the rule of the Endeavor Agency; on the job, you work diligently and seriously, but off the job, no one cared what you did.

The Agency Building had five main areas; the Logistics Offices where Heroes and Sidekicks could gather information for their jobs, the Training Areas for practicing their skills, the Support Workshops were Endeavor had his own team of Support Staff that maintained their gear, the Hero Offices where Full Heroes under Endeavor's banner operated with their own sidekicks and lastly, Endeavor's offices, which contained all the same areas but for Endeavor's personal use.

When they finally reached the imposing dark wood doors into Endeavor's offices, Flare Drake was suddenly forced to pull the teens aside as the door burst open and a furious sidekick marched out. The man was as tall and muscular as Endeavor, if not a bit more so, but unlike Endeavor, he was completely bald except for a long dark brown pony tail and had a boar's snout and tusks in place of a normal nose. He wore dark plate armour and carried a large spear, as well as a large clawed gauntlet on the hand that didn't hold his spear. He marched away, only stopping for a second to glare at the newcomers before marching off.

Shoto glared after him, "Who was that?"

"That was Gammon, right?" Izuka said, looking to Flare Drake, who nodded to her, "He's one of Endeavor's other Sidekicks and was the closest to going independent, since Flare Drake refuses to leave Endeavor's side. His quirk is Heat Vision."

"Really? He looks like an asshole." Shoto scowled.

"Oh, he is." Drake frowned, "He and the Boss have been fighting all week. You know how I said the Boss has eased up a little? Well Gammon has been going around saying the Boss has gone soft. It's ridiculous; he doesn't fire somebody for a tiny mistake and says Good Job like once, and Gammon suddenly thinks he's going to start singing Orphans to sleep or something. Endeavor's the same as always, he's just being a slightly better boss."

"Seriously? That guy is mad because my father is being LESS of an ass?" Shoto said, disbelieving.

Izuka frowned, "Gammon has some pretty bad history for a Hero. He has been given official warnings for Extreme Collateral Damage and Extremely Excessive Force."

"That's nothing!" Drake said, "Endeavor had to save him from serious consequences five years ago when Gammon killed a petty criminal. He claimed it was self defence, but witnesses say it was murder and the crook had surrendered. If it weren't for the Boss's work with All-Might during the All for One Battle, Endeavor would have been demoted down to at least fifth place in the Hero Rankings."

Shoto's eyes widened; "Why would my father save him from that?"

"None of us really know. Some of us think he owed Gammon a favour. Others think they're friends, but I doubt that; the Boss doesn't really "do" friendship. One guy used to say that Gammon was best buds with the Boss's oldest kid but he got his ass fired when the Boss heard him spreading those rumours. Personally, I just think the Boss didn't want to lose a strong fighter like Gammon." Drake shrugged.

"And the lot of you should mind your own business." came the rumbling voice of Endeavor as he threw open the doors of his office and glared down at the three loitering outside.

Drake gulped as the two teens snapped to attention, both nervous at Endeavor's irritated look. "Oh hey Boss. I brought the Interns for you!" Drake said with a nervous smile.

Endeavor growled, "Yes, I see that. You also decided to fill them in on the Office Gossip, when I told you to only escort them here while giving them the tour."

"Ah, well you see Boss, I did exactly what you asked! It's just that we ran into Gammon a moment ago..." Drake explained.

"Forget that Boar. He'll shape up or be kicked out. Now, I expect three resolved cases from you by the end of the week, or you're on Toilet Cleaning Duty for a month. Dismissed." Endeavor declared.

Flare Drake nodded seriously; "Yes Sir!" he shouted, then ran off, leaving Endeavor to lead the two teens into his office.

As his father sat behind his desk, Shoto couldn't resist commenting; "I'm surprised you didn't fire Drake for gossiping." he said wryly.

Endeavor scoffed; "Lesson 1: I run my Agency as a Meritocracy; so long as you work hard and do well, you're rank within the Agency increases. The higher the rank, the more I'm willing to put up with to keep you around. The Endeavor Agency currently has sixteen Hero Offices working under it and a total of 48 Sidekicks spread between myself and the Heroes of those offices. Naturally; I am Number One here while Drake is Number Two, so it will take more than some idle gossip to make me dismiss him. As newbies, you both will occupy the bottom ranks: Midoriya is Ranked 66 and you Shoto are Ranked 67, since she got further than you in the Sports Festival. Your goal here this week is to rise as high as you can in the rankings. As Interns, I don't expect you to got into the top 60, but if you manage it, I will reward you." the Flame Hero explained.

Both Teens nodded. Endeavor was acting purely professional, not really acknowledging any connection he had with them. His ranking Izuka higher also ended any worries by Shoto that Endeavor would try to use his authority to claim revenge against the girl for the Exhibition Match. Endeavor leaned back in his chair; "Now, let us get the introductions out of the way. I am Flame Hero: Endeavor." he said with a nod to each of them.

Izuka smiled; "My name is Izuka Midor-"

"Stop." Endeavor cut her off. "I didn't introduce myself as Enji Todoroki. The person you are outside the world of Heroes means nothing here."

Izuka blinked, but realising what he meant, nodded and straightened up with determination on her face; "I'm the Eternal Hero: Seraphim."

Endeavor grinned and nodded, then looked to his son. Shoto looked him in the eye: "I'm the Freezer Burn Hero: Celsius."

The Flame Hero grinned wider and clapped his hands; "Good strong names. They send a powerful message. It seems my faith wasn't misplaced. While you are operating within this building or in the field, you are only to use your Hero Names from now on, and you must always be in Uniform. Celsius, go to the Training Area on the eighth floor and change, then go through your Warm Up. I need to have a discussion with Seraphim."

Shoto narrowed his eyes, but after a comforting nod from Izuka, he obeyed. With Shoto gone, Izuka turned to Endeavor, nervous as to what he would say. Endeavor looked at her seriously; "I have two things I must discuss with you; one is professional and one is personal. On the Professional note, I assume my son informed you that I am aware of your Quirks thanks to going through All for One's files?"

"Yes sir." Izuka nodded.

"Good, then this will be easy. You are not to die under any circumstances while working under me. If you do, I'll drop you down to the Bottom Rank and you will remain in the Office for the rest of your time here. Secondly, you are not to link with any member of my Agency unless it is an absolute emergency; each hero and sidekick here must strive to go as far as possible on their own merits. Is all that understood?" Endeavor said sternly.

"Yes sir, I'll do as you say." Izuka promised.

Endeavor nodded; "Good, you know your place. I'll be frank; I chose to send you an offer because I saw your power and potential. Your relationship with All-Might and my son, as well as the Incidents you were involved in had no bearing on my decision, nor did your fight with me. I will treat you as your rank and effort deserve. Now, moving on to the more personal issue..." the man stood and moved to look out his window; "You have my thanks. You actions helped my son and also opened my eyes to how far I have fallen."

Izuka smiled; "I'm happy I was able to help."

"Don't get the wrong idea, however." the man said with a serious expression; "I still aim to be the Number One, and I still aim to raise Shoto to that position. I've simply decided to change how I do it. Don't expect me to coddle the people or smile incessantly like your father; I will become Number One by becoming so powerful, no one will be able to deny my superiority. I will be Number One on MY terms…. However, I have learned that there is no room for cruelty in the road to the top. You have my thanks for opening my eyes to that. Now, I have a question for you." the hero looked her in the eye; "Why did you choose to come here?"

Izuka fidgeted nervously; "W-Well I knew you were the best Fire user, so as a fellow Fire user, I wanted to learn from you. You're also the Top Combat Specialist, and I want to learn how to fight better… I used to think I could just rescue and support while my partner fought the enemy..." Izuka thought about Katsuki and his resolve in learning something different from Best Jeanist, as well as how woefully unprepared she was to fight at the USJ. "But I learned a Hero that aims to be the best can't limit themselves; if people can't rely on me in every situation, I can't be the Top Hero."

Endeavor nodded; "A good answer. Fear not; when I am done with you, you will be a real fighter." he smirked. "Now go to the eighth floor training area and warm up. I'll be there soon, and when I arrive..." his smirk turned feral; "I'll train you like you've never been trained before!"

Izuka gulped and nodded, running from the room and heading to the training area. Changing in the female locker rooms, Seraphim emerged into the Training Area and began joining Celsius in his warm up routine; a series of rigorous stretches and many sets of push ups, sit ups and pull ups. For a normal teenager, the warm up would be a full work out, but for Celsius and Seraphim, it was fairly light compared to their usual training with their respective fathers. Both were fully warmed up and raring to go by the time Endeavor arrived, appearing with two sidekicks. The one to his right was a man dressed in a harlequin outfit and a mask that covered his face; the left side was crying and frowning was the right side was smiling and laughing like the old theatre masks. The one on his left was a woman with flowing red hair that reached all the way to the floor and was braided into a single long braid. Her costume resembled a black one piece swimsuit decorated with red flames, as well as pure black knee boots and elbow length fingerless gloves. She also wore a simple black mask over her eyes.

Endeavor briefly inspected the two interns, and upon judging them properly warmed up, he introduced them to the newcomers. "Alright you brats, these two are going to be sparring with you. These are my newest sidekicks, fresh from U.A's last graduating class. This guy is Blade Jester and the girl is Embright: ranked 65 and 64 respectively. You'll fight them until one of you surrenders or is knocked out. They know your quirks, but you don't know theirs. Celsius, you're with Embright and Seraphim, you're with Blade Jester."

The Flame Hero has been careful when picking these two sidekicks to fight the interns; Embright was a fire user like himself, so she had to be matched with Celsius, as Seraphim would be immune to her, but Blade Jester was someone Seraphim would be unprepared for. He was actually an Underground Hero and despite having attended U.A while Seraphim was training with Recovery Girl, he had never been to the Nurse's office so the girl didn't know who he was and couldn't use any analysis from his resolved cases to fight him. For this, she'd be as blind as any one.

Celsius and Embright went first. Celsius sent a wave of ice to try and freeze the sidekick, then Embright simply whipped her hair at the incoming attack, causing her braid to come lose. Each strand of hair became a thread of fire and easily shredded through the ice, then snaked it's way through the slush to catch Celsius' leg, though it wasn't burning any more. Embright's quirk was "Flame Gorgon", the ability to freely manipulate her hair and set it on fire at will. This became clear when Celsius was thrown into the wall of the training room despite trying to both freeze and burn the hair away. The hair was fireproof, much like Izuka's and the fire burned hot enough to melt any ice used against it. Recovering from his trip into the wall, Celsius activated Plus Ultra Mode and aimed both hands at the Sidekick, shooting a massive torrent of icy cold water from each palm, mildly impressing Endeavor. Embright squealed as the cold water hit her and was followed up by some intense cold to freeze her in place, but it didn't last long as she was still able to ignite her wet hair, drying it instantly and freeing herself. Celsius didn't have time to be surprised as the hair snaked around his throat and choked him out, leaving him to fall unconscious to the floor.

Izuka gaped at the sight; Embright had beaten him so easily! Shoto was strong; very strong and was considered one of the two top boys of their generation, yet he'd not been able to do more than make Embright uncomfortably cold. The girl was suddenly much more apprehensive about her own fight… this was the difference in power between a student and a sidekick.

As Shoto woke up, Endeavor regarded him with a small frown; "As I expected. You have keen control over your ice and are fairly skilled with your fire, considering how little you used it in the past, but you always attack the same way; looking to overwhelm your opponent with the elements. Every battle, you start with a wave of ice. Raw power isn't enough at this level; you'd need to be much stronger for that alone to win against real opponents. You demonstrated creativity in the battle with the Laser kid; I want to see more of that! Until you have more power, you need to make up for your weaknesses with tactics." the man lectured.

Embright nodded along with her Boss, helping Shoto to his feet; "He's right. When I was your age on my own work experience, I was really vulnerable to cold and water. If you'd fought me then, I'd have been defeated easily. When faced with something you can't beat, you either have to grow so strong you can steam roll it with pure power, or use tricks and tactics to overcome it."

Shoto frowned, thinking back to his battles with Aoyama and Uraraka. Both had been far outmatched by him, yet had stood up to him and been able to push him with clever use of their quirks. "I think… I think it would be better if I was able to use my quirk more effectively before growing stronger..." he admitted. He had only recently been able to incorporate water into his combat style, but thinking about it now, there was more he could do, like using steam or simply lowering and increasing the temperature of his surroundings. Endeavor nodded approvingly, seeing his son thinking seriously about how to use his quirk more effectively. Certain Shoto would come to the right answer on his own, he turned to Izuka.

"Seraphim, you'll battle Blade Jester now." he declared, gesturing for her and his sidekick to move to the middle of the training area. Jester was silent and made a showy bow, jingling the bells on his outfit in the process. Izuka smiled and returned the bow, then took a combat stance and watched her opponent carefully. Since she had no idea what her opponent could do, she remained on the defensive; her wings summoned and ready to block any attack that suddenly came at her as she watched Jester. The Sidekick clapped at the appearance of the wings, then spoke for the first time.

"Oho! How pretty. You match your name; Little Angel." he said, his voice light and feminine, with a playful lilt to it.

"Thank you. I like your costume. It's pretty." Seraphim replied cautiously. It was true too; while it was garishly coloured, Jester's harlequin outfit was quite nice to look at; it was a vibrant royal purple and deep blood red spandex suit with the gloves and shoes attached. He wore a torn green shawl that covered his back and a matching blue skirt with bells along the hem, and what parts of his head that weren't covered by his mask was hidden by a patchwork hood. Suddenly, Jester drew a pair of thin curved daggers from his skirt and spun them in his hands before dropping them to the ground, apparently failing whatever trick he had been attempting. Puzzled, Seraphim took a step back, knowing that with a name like Blade Jester, the man must have a quirk related to those daggers. Jester tilted his head when he saw Seraphim wasn't reacting and so took two steps forward and turned his back on her, bending over as if to pick up his knives. As he bent, he flipped up the back of his skirt, to reveal a big patchwork smily face sown into the seat of his costume… he essentially had a smily face on his ass.

Caught off guard by this ridiculous man, Seraphim giggled, not noticing Endeavor or Embright cringing on the sidelines.

As soon as the giggle left her mouth, Seraphim suddenly felt very dizzy. Random colours began to invert themselves while others darkened or lightened. Noises randomly got quieter and louder and the room seemed to spin, causing the young hero to stagger and gasp, feeling nauseated by the sudden shift of her senses. Blade Jester immediately moved to act; he grabbed his blades and with lethal speed and skill, attacked her, his knives slicing this way and that, dancing through the air towards the girl. Despite her vulnerability, Seraphim was able to see the attack coming and willed her wings to surround her, so they protected her from the blades, however while they were able to stop Jester getting through thanks to their heat, they weren't fully physical, so the Sidekick leapt backward and threw one of his knives through the wings directly at Seraphim. The attack wasn't meant to seriously hurt her, so only barely cut her cheek, but that cut stung like nothing the girl had ever felt; it was like a thousand bees were stinging the same thin line of skin. She grimaced and bared the pain stoically, but it did make her eyes tear up a bit, and that was all Jester needed.

The moment Blade Jester saw a single tear leak from Seraphim's eye, he bowed once again and Seraphim promptly felt all air vanish from her lungs as she struggled to breath. Thanks to the number of times she was killed by drowning or suffocation, and her Evolution adapting her to resist more attempts, Izuka could go without oxygen for an hour and wouldn't lose consciousness until the 45 minute mark so she was able to stay standing and fighting, though she was significantly weakened without oxygen. Still, she could still use her flames, so Izuka recognised that there was air, she just couldn't breathe it for some reason. Sluggishly, she decided to go on the offensive, flaring her wings and firing several flame feathers, but Jester effortlessly ducked and weaved around them with his acrobatics, acting as if he was in a show. The Sidekick's posture was surprised though; he clearly didn't expect his opponent to be able to fight this long without breathing. However, the fight soon ended as it became clear Seraphim couldn't fight any longer and was just continuing through dogged determination. Her chances of victory were 0%, so Endeavor called the fight.

Izuka looked down at the floor as she fell to her hands and knees, disappointed at her loss even as air raced back into her lungs and she hungrily breathed it in. "I lost..." she muttered sadly.

"You did. There's no shame in it; Blade Jester is not a good guy to fight unless you know his quirk." Embright said, helping the girl back to her feet.

"It was triggered by laughter, right? And my tears too. It's some kind of mental quirk, like Hitoshi's." Izuka said.

"How observant!" Jester said, clapping his hands, "My quirk is called "Comedy and Tragedy". If I make you laugh, I can manipulate your emotions and senses by playing around with how your brain reacts to chemicals and outside stimuli. If I make you cry, even just a single tear, I can manipulate your body by forcing your brain to send or stop sending signals. You giggle, which was a joy to hear by the way, allowed me to confuse you, then my blade was able to make you cry a single tear, allowing me to tell your brain to tell your lungs to stop working. My knives are coated in a special agent that stings like crazy; based on lemon juice and bullet ant venom to help induce crying." he explained. He gently petted Izuka's hair; "I've wanted to fight you since I saw you defeat Shinso in the Sports Festival! I thought you might be immune to my quirk, but it seems not. Still, I'm impressed."

Izuka blushed; "Thank you, Blade Jester. My immunity to Mind quirks is really only limited to quirks that try to suppress or control my free will. Since your quirk doesn't try to control me, but rather messes with how my brain understands things, it still works."

Endeavor nodded; "So tell me Seraphim, what is your analysis? I have heard a lot about your skill in that area, so I wish to see it first hand." he said

Izuka gulped, easily intimidated by Endeavor despite knowing he couldn't hurt her. "Blade Jester's strategy is practically flawless against one on one opponents. He forces his foe to laugh, then uses his Comedy half to disorient them and leave them open to an attack with is blades. If that doesn't take them out on their own, the stinging agent would make them tear up, allowing him to shut off their lungs and choke them out. It would be more difficult on multiple opponents, unless his quirk can effect many people at once, and against stoic opponents like yourself, making them laugh or cry would be tough."

The Flame Hero nodded approvingly; "My own analysts came to the same conclusion. Now, on to your own critique; you are tenacious, I'll give you that, but against any opponent you have no knowledge off, you become overly cautious, allowing them the first move. If you had attacked immediately, you might have been able to win, or at least last longer. While Shoto's problems revolve around his quirk and skill, yours revolve around your personality; you are too soft!"

Izuka recoiled a bit, before looking down ashamedly; she knew Endeavor was right. Even at the USJ, during a life and death battle, she'd been soft. She could have used her flames to attack and capture Tomura, but had been afraid to use her power against another person for real. The Noumu was easy, since it was basically a walking practice dummy, and in a practice or faux fight like the Sports Festival battles, Izuka could fight with ease because she knew there were limits in place. That was where she'd failed here; she'd fought Jester like it was a sparring match (which it technically was) while he fought her like it was a real battle, using the same tactics he used against real villains. She lacked any sort of real fighting spirit as unlike the Sports Festival, she wasn't fighting for the sake of her father or those she had beaten.

Endeavor noticed her staring at her own hands and nodded in understanding; "You can't truly bring yourself to do it, can you? You can't bare to use your power against other people. You can only fight in practice because you know it's not real and you have others to stop you if you go too far. I've seen it a lot in teenagers like you."

Izuka frowned; "What do you mean by teenagers like me?" she asked curiously.

A strange, almost sympathetic expression appeared on Endeavor's face; "Those whose quirk has taken a life."

The room became deathly quiet as Izuka paled dramatically. Jester and Embright looked at her sympathetically and Shoto grimaced. Izuka had killed (or at least believed she'd killed) All for One. It was currently unknown if that was actually true, since Tomura had suggested his teacher was still alive but it didn't seem to matter to Izuka; for five years, she'd lived with the knowledge that she, a hero hopeful, had taken a life. For someone as gentle as her, who wore her emotions on her sleeve and had such a cavalier attitude towards her own suffering while caring deeply for others, that knowledge had affected her deeply.

"I just don't want to hurt people..." Izuka said, her voice impossibly small and vulnerable.

"Good." Blade Jester said, "It's not a Hero's job to hurt others, but to save them. To save the many, we must fight the few, so when you next fight, remember this: I'm not doing this to hurt the enemy, I'm doing this to save the innocent. If it's practice like your fight with me, then think: I'm doing this to get stronger so I can save others! So long as you remember why you're fighting and why you're hurting the enemy, you can keep moving forward. That's the role of a hero."

Izuka and Shoto exchanged looks. Being a Hero… it had so much more nuance to it than anyone ever really talked about. To most, it boiled down to beat the bad guy and save the good guy, but it was so much more than that. Izuka clasped her hands into fists and squeezed them tightly; she came to Endeavor's Agency to learn to fight for real, to face Villains and do what needed to be done. Her softness and reluctance had to go, or at least had to be set aside when things got serious, and that was her first task.

"Sir, I'd like to try again." Izuka said, determinedly.

Endeavor smirked, "Good. Now get up and fight! Keep standing up again until it's your enemy that falls and remember; every time you fail, it's a civilian who suffers, so don't fail! Get to work!"

Izuka nodded and faced Blade Jester once again. She would fight again and again until she won. Because Heroes couldn't afford to lose.


	4. Gathering Storm Clouds

IMPORTANT SCHEDULE CHANGE!

As things are heating up soon and my schedule is free for a while, I'll be posting updates twice a week from now on. The first chapter of a week will be out on Monday and the second will be out on Thursday!

It starts this week, so check back the day after tomorrow for the next chapter!

* * *

 **The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 4: Gathering Storm Clouds**

Endeavor grumbled to himself as he sat in his office at his home, idly drinking sake and going through some paperwork. It was nearly midnight and the first day of the Work Experience Internship had ended just an hour or two ago and he still felt the eyes of his sidekicks and employees on him as they whispered their comments and tried to stealthily take pictures of him. And why? Because he had walked through the building with his son trailing sleepily behind him, and the Midoriya girl passed out on his back. The image of the Flame Hero giving a reluctant piggy back to the adorable child would no doubt be circulating for weeks, if not months. He cursed himself for it though.

He'd severely underestimated the will of All-Might's daughter.

After being defeated by Blade Jester and working up the resolve to try and use her power against others for real, Izuka had thrown herself into the training, attacking her opponent with renewed vigor. Each time, she'd hesitate when going for an attack and for a Pro-Hero, even a newbie sidekick, that was all that was needed for her opponent to get back in control of the fight and defeat her. Each defeat would lead to Izuka furiously scolding herself, then writing feverishly in a little notebook she pulled from the orange pouch on her lower back. Endeavor had been surprised to find the book was written in code, some sort of secret language Izuka and her boyfriend had made up as children to stop All-Might reading their letters. Izuka explained this was because it was her Field Notes, and if she'd written them normally, any villain that managed to steal them would know the weaknesses of the people she'd written in it. That had impressed the Flame Hero, but he soon forgot about it in the face of the girl's indomitable will. Each time she was defeated, she'd get back up; sometimes healing herself from a cut then challenging Jester again. For a while, that tenacity was annoying to Endeavor as he saw no improvements, but very slowly she began to hesitate less often and would get closer to landing a serious blow before recoiling, still unable to fight seriously with an ally (or anyone for that matter).

Periodically, Izuka would fall to the ground, so drained that she couldn't move any more. When this happened, Shoto would bathe her in his flames, which she would absorb to restore her strength then get up and keep fighting. Each time this happened, the time before she collapsed again got shorter; the flame absorption acting more as a temporary boost than a cure for her exhaustion. Finally, after coming close to winning a couple of times, Izuka passed out, simply unable to keep fighting and unable to absorb enough flame to get up again. That was why Endeavor had been forced to carry her (after Embright had taken the sleeping girl and changed her back into her day clothes). When they'd left the Agency and returned to the Todoroki estate, a maid had changed Izuka into a night dress and put her to bed in a guest room, where she still lay happily snoozing away. Endeavor begrudgingly admitted to himself that the girl was impressive, and if she could get over her aversion to fighting seriously, she'd be an amazing hero.

Not to be outdone, Shoto had been a force to be reckoned with in his own training. Strictly speaking, he was an objectively better fighter than Izuka, and would win any fight with her if it weren't for the fact her quirk so perfectly countered his. Endeavor had never seen his son training so hard; the boy threw himself into battling Embright as if she was a real villain, perfectly achieving the mindset that his female companion couldn't reach. He came close to winning more than once, using his ice to try and form blades to cut Embright's hair and trying to discretely create icy landmines by hiding chunks of ice filled with a mix of hot and cold fire in his usual ice wave attacks. It was effective and Embright really had to try hard to not be hurt by the attacks, as well as keep her hair between herself and Shoto, as while her hair was fireproof, her skin wasn't; only her scalp was able to take much heat; the rest of her burned easily thanks to her pale skin. Every now and again, Shoto would be forced to stop and take a break, since he couldn't restore his stamina like Izuka can, and each time, he would watch Izuka fighting with a look of frustration, as if he was upset that he had to stop fighting.

Endeavor had felt a pain in his heart at seeing that; in the boy's childhood, the child had begged to take breaks, worked to the point of exhaustion by his own cruel and uncaring father… by Endeavor. But now, he was almost the opposite; Shoto hated being forced to stop and Endeavor even had to order him to take breaks. It was another reminder to the Flame Hero that he had been wrong in his treatment of his son… and worse, that Endeavor could have still gotten exactly what he wanted without hurting his son, since Shoto was so eager to train to keep up with his comrade. Perhaps if Endeavor had encouraged him to make friends as a child, someone for him to compete with and spur him on, then Shoto would be both stronger and happier. Maybe if he had encouraged friendly competition amongst his children instead of ignoring them for Shoto, he'd have a good relationship with all four of them and had created not one but four powerful young heroes. An equally annoying, though less painful realisation for the Pro was that this was another thing that All-Might effortlessly beat him at; parenting… and since the Number One only had a single child that he'd raised for only five years while Endeavor had four kids over the last twenty plus years, it was even more humiliating.

When training finally ended that day, Endeavor had gently ruffled his son's hair and to his surprise, Shoto didn't recoil, though this was likely out of exhaustion more than a desire for his father's affection. It had been… nice, and the two walked out together, eating a quiet dinner together at home before Shoto retired to his room. For the first time in over a decade, Endeavor felt like a real father… he had decided then and there that he had made the right choice by abandoning some of his pride and harshness.

And so Endeavor sat in his office, swigging the last of his sake before getting up to turn in for the night. Tomorrow afternoon, he would take the two out on patrol; it would be a good test for them.

 **[THAT EVENING, AT U.A]**

Toshinori sat rather uncomfortably on the sofa of the Class 1-A dorms. In the last week, he'd gotten accustomed to the hustle and bustle of his students and now that all the students were gone, he felt oddly melancholic. He told himself it would only be a week, but considering this was also the first time he'd been away from his daughter for that long, he was nervous and restless. Inko had gone to bed early, so it was just Toshi sitting and sipping his cola.

There was a sudden knock at the dorm doors, followed by a beep and click as they swung open, allowing Detective Tsukauchi into the room. "Hey Toshinori. Glad I caught you while you were awake. Got a minute to talk?"

"Naomasa! It's been a while. What are you doing here? It's too late for a social visit." Toshi said, gesturing for the man to sit down.

Naomasa took a seat and sighed; "Truthfully, you're right; this isn't a social visit." he said, pulling a couple of photographs from his coat pocket, "We have new information in the League of Villains case."

Toshi's eyes narrowed; "What is it?"

The detective slid the first photo over to All-Might. It was a snapshot from a security camera feed and showed a blurry image of two figures standing on a roof top. The first was unfamiliar to the Number One Hero; he was a lanky and slouching figure covered head to toe in sharp objects and with a long flowing scarf. The other was unmistakeable: Kurogiri. "The League and an unknown villain?" Toshi asked.

"That villain is confirmed to be the Hero Killer Stain. This picture seems to prove they are on friendly terms, which to us, confirms they are working together." Naomasa explained.

All-Might scowled; he knew this was a possibility and had been theorised for a while, Gran Torino had told him the league had made contact with the Hero Killer and suspected he might have been recruited, but here was solid proof. "I don't suppose the camera feed showed where they went?"

Naomasa shook his head; "Sadly not. They warped away. But that isn't the only problem..." he said, reluctantly passing along the other picture. This one was a basic police mugshot, depicting a fairly muscular man with dull eyes, very large lips and shaggy dirty blond hair. Toshinori gave his friend a questioning look, prompting the Detective to continue; "It was hard going, since your daughter and Todoroki incinerated most of the Noumu that attacked the USJ, but we were finally able to crack the thing's metal bones and test the bone marrow for DNA matches."

"I see. So this guy was who became that Noumu?" Toshi said, not overly impressed by the figure in the picture, "Is this guy someone important?"

Naomasa shook his head; "He's completely unremarkable. A petty criminal whose rap sheet is mostly minor crimes with a few assault and extortion charges thrown in. He was released on Parole and went missing."

Toshi felt his heart sink; "When was this?"

The Detective frowned; "Eight Months ago."

Toshi froze; eight months ago… that meant he had been caught and turned into a Noumu sometime in that period. But that shouldn't be possible, unless… "So this confirms it. Shigaraki was telling the truth; All for One is alive." he said bitterly.

Naomasa nodded; "It's technically not a guarantee. It's possible he had another accomplice who he gifted portions of his quirk too. His notes on creating the Noumus did frequently mention an assistant. However, the odds of that are slim. As of today, All for One is being treated as an SSS-Rank fugitive. The public won't be informed of his return until we get confirmation he truly is alive, but every government across the world has been alerted."

Toshinori scowled; an SSS-Rank incident or criminal was a Global Risk, someone who could bring about an apocalyptic event. "Shit." was all he could say.

Naomasa smiled sympathetically; "I share your sentiments. Are you going to tell Izuka?"

"I'll have to. I can't send her out into the world without her knowing who was lying in wait. I'll wait until she comes back from her Internship. No need to ruin her week!" Toshi said, getting up and heading to his personal fridge in the Dorm Manager's apartment. Cola wasn't enough for this; he needed something stronger. He'd tell Izuka when he saw her on Sunday, so she could focus on her internship.

Little did he know, by the time they saw each other again at the end of the week, Izuka would already be very much aware…

 **[ELSEWHERE]**

The Hero Killer Stain idly licked his lips as he waited. He was stood against a wall in a dingy little bar in the middle of Kamino Ward. He was currently waiting for the two he had allied with to show up; the Villain Brat Shigaraki and the freaky Yakuza guy. For what felt like the hundredth time, Stain questioned why he even bothered showing up to this meeting; neither of these Allies had much to offer him on his crusade.

Stain had been recruited shortly after Ingenium was healed. The Hero Killer was intrigued by the girl who healed him, but aside from her undoing a bit of his work, she was of no real consequence to Stain; he would just need to be sure to kill his next victim like many of the others. From what little he gathered on this Midoriya Girl, she seemed like a Hero that followed All-Might's philosophy, which meant she was spared from Stain's crusade. Shortly after, Kurogiri had warped him to this bar and after a tense stand off, Stain was forced to admit that Shigaraki had potential, with his fledgeling conviction, so Stain had agreed to a minor partnership while they weeded out some of the slightly tougher fake heroes. After all, Stain was only one man, so if he threw some foolish villains to their doom to help bring down a Fake Hero, then he would score a double victory.

Finally, after waiting for ages, Shigaraki returned with Kurogiri and two members of the Yakuza group; The Eight Precepts. The first was their boss; Kai Chisaki, who was a fairly unremarkable looking man in his Twenties with dull brownish hair and bloodshot eyes. His only notable feature was the orange beak mask he wore to cover the lower parts of his face. The other guy was unknown, but referred to himself as Chronostasis and wore a cloak and hood with a plague doctor's mask. Without further ado, Shigaraki had the lot of them sit around one of the tables at the bar with nothing but brief nods.

"Good of you to join us. We have decided to share a little secret with you guys as our allies, as well as offer you a reward for helping us." Shigaraki smirked.

Chisaki raised an eyebrow; "Oh yes, this nebulous reward you keep going on about. The Eight Precepts only agreed to a partnership with you since the League has kept attention away from us, but continue to annoy us with this mystery prize and we'll withdraw our support."

Shigaraki smirked, "That would be a shame, but don't worry; I'll reveal all! Kurogiri, the tape."

The Mist Villain took a small television from behind the bar and put it on the counter, inserting an old VHS tape into it as Tomura slid a picture across the table to Stain and Chisaki. Stain scowled; the picture depicted Izuka Midoriya on the winner's podium at the recent Sports Festival. "So you want this girl? She was the one to escape you five years ago, right?" Chronostasis asked.

"Escaped? Oh no, our Little Bird would never have run away. It was those damned heroes! They kidnapped her and brainwashed her!" Tomura snapped, "But she's extremely valuable to the League, and by extension, this alliance."

Before Chisaki or Stain could ask how, the video began playing on the TV. It was showed Midoriya as a small child, maybe 8 or 9 years old, standing and shivering in the centre of a dark room. _"Tomura, begin the test."_ came a deep and malicious voice and suddenly, a teenage Shigaraki emerged from the shadows behind the girl and put his hands on her. The watching villains looked disgusted as the video showed Midoriya scream and decay until she was nothing but dust.

"What!? You killed her? Is she some sort of clone?" Chisaki demanded.

Tomura smirked, "Watch and see!"

Kurogiri fast forwarded the tape by three minutes and Stain and Chisaki watched with widening eyes as Midoriya was resurrected from the dust, completely healthy. Chronostasis shook his head in wonder; "Amazing. A Resurrection Quirk! Combined with the fire we saw in the Sports Festival, that girl has a Phoenix Quirk!" he exclaimed.

Stain's eyes narrowed, "So I assume you want our help in retrieving her? Why should I help? My crusade is against false heroes and from what I've seen, she isn't one. I gain nothing from involving myself with her."

"Nor do we." Chisaki added. "The Eight Precepts want a return to the way of life before Quirks. Some Immortal Brat is only a minor concern."

Tomura nodded, "I know. But Phoenix isn't her only quirk. My Sensei's experiments helped create a new one within her; Link Evolution. For the Little Bird, this doesn't mean a lot; she can speak to the people she links with in her head and as long as the link holds, she can use a weak form of their quirk, but the issue is the people she links with. Their quirks are made permanently stronger; like a perpetual Trigger effect that can never be undone."

Chisaki and Stain both narrowed their eyes. That quirk would be a problem for both of them; if the Heroes used her to bolster their powers, it would be nearly impossible for the Eight Precepts to survive long enough to complete their plan, and an army of Fake **Super** Heroes was not something Stain could deal with. "So you want us to capture her and turn her over to you. What do we get from it." Chisaki demanded.

"Once we have her back and turn her to our side again, we'll have her evolve your quirks to make you stronger, plus we'll lend her to you to assist with your plans. Stain, you can kill a lot more heroes with her help and it would work for me too. Chisaki, she could improve the power of your own little pet… what was her name again? Oh yes, Eri." Tomura smiled evilly.

Chisaki scowled. How had this mad man learned about Eri? Perhaps the Eight Precepts had a spy in their midst? He'd need to do some searching later. Stain looked pensive, but ultimately, he had little choice. This girl would be a lethal weapon in his crusade, either against him or with him, so the Hero Killer nodded his understanding to the Villains. "Fine, I'll help. But once this girl is caught, I expect you to fulfil your end of the bargain. I'm going back to Hosu." he said, marching out the door.

"Shall I warp you?" Kurogiri shouted after him, only for Stain to growl bitterly.

"I'll walk! I could use the air!" he snapped. He was furious that he would now have to assist in the hunt for a hero with real potential, but he had no choice. This was for the greater good.

A few blocks away, Chisaki and Chronostasis caught up to him, having agreed to help the League as well, but it was clear from the cruel gleam in Chisaki's eye that they had something else planned. "Stain. I've got a proposition for you." the man said.

"What is it?" Stain asked, his bad mood on full display.

"You know that the League is untrustworthy. They'll use us then destroy us… the goal of the Eight Precepts is in opposition with theirs and at the end of the day, you're trying to revive a true Hero Society while they want to destroy Heroes all together. If the League gets a hold of this Phoenix Brat, it'll only be a matter of time before we are betrayed and killed." Chisaki said matter-of-factly.

"So you want to betray the League and you want my help to do it." Stain scowled. "Why should I fight alongside you?"

Chisaki grinned beneath his mask; "You don't have to. All you have to do is what you would for the League, but if you capture the Phoenix Brat, you deliver her to us instead of the League."

"I don't see how having her be used as a weapon by you is better than having that League Brat using her." Stain pointed out.

"We don't intend to use her at all." Chisaki said, "We have developed a weapon that can destroy quirks permanently. We've managed to synthesise two functioning Quirk-Destroyer Bullets and we've tested one already, proving we have the formula perfected. Currently, the process of making them is too difficult to be adapted for mass production but we have one more left, and we intend to use it on Phoenix. For our goal, we can't allow an Immortal that can upgrade other quirks to exist, so we'll destroy her quirks."

Stain frowned; "I'll be honest, I trust in your conviction more than the Insane Boy that runs the League. What will you do once the girl's quirks are erased?"

Chisaki shrugged; "Who knows. She'll just be some quirkless brat, so it doesn't really matter. I might keep her for my men or sell her. I might give her to Eri as a playmate or might just drop her off somewhere and forget about her. I can give her to you if you want."

Stain shook his head; "If I do this, then I expect you to set her free. No point in spilling the blood of someone pure. I also expect you to supply me with some of those bullets in the future. If I can't use the girl as a weapon against the Heroes, I can at least use the thing that destroyed her powers."

Chisaki nodded; "Then we are in agreement. You bring Midoriya to us. A recent recruit of mine claims she is working with Endeavor for the week, just in case you feel like hunting her down." he said, then walked off with Chronostasis on his heels.

Stain scoffed. He wasn't going to go hunting this kid; he didn't trust the League or the Precepts. He'd only bother to capture her if he crossed paths with her, but she was with Endeavor in Musutafu and Stain was heading to Hosu; there was no chance of running into her. As the Hero Killer began his journey back to Hosu, he thought about his next victim… "Native. He would make a good sacrifice for my crusade" Stain decided.

 **[THE FIRST DAY OF THE INTERNSHIP: KATSUKI]**

Katsuki knew from the beginning that the time he spent with Best Jeanist wouldn't be how he hoped. The Number Four Hero was a famous and very popular hero, actually being Ranked Second in Popularity Polls behind All-Might and while he was incredibly powerful, he was also refined, elegant and flamboyant; basically the opposite of Katsuki… which was why he was the Hero that Katsuki hoped would teach him what he needed to know. When Katsuki had arrived at the Hero's Tokyo office, some Sidekicks had directed him to change into his gear for his first meeting with Best Jeanist. Katsuki silently obeyed, then followed another sidekick (all of them wearing the same blue jeans for some reason) to the top floor of the building, where the Hero was waiting for him.

Best Jeanist looked at Katsuki, eyeing his costume critically while the boy tried to keep his temper under control. It was hard though… he wasn't a piece of meat or a damn fashion model; he didn't like those looks. Finally Best Jeanist spoke; "To be honest, I have no idea what to make of you."

Katsuki blinked; "Huh?"

"When I saw that little speech you made at the beginning of the Sports Festival, I thought for sure you were just another ruffian. Your rage when you didn't win the Second Event furthered that assessment. I had decided then that I would draft you; I've had nothing but Do-Gooders recently, and I hoped to cut my teeth on reforming a ferocious child like yourself." the man fixed his hair, "But then you surprised me. You treated your defeated opponents with respect, and that passionate display before your match with Midoriya… young love isn't something I would associate with someone like you. It was rather moving, and I found myself wanting to work out exactly what kind of person you are. After all, you raged because you didn't win the Second Event, but took your loss at the final hurdle rather well."

"Tch!" Katsuki scowled, "I got angry because of that Copycat fuck messing with me! He was weaker than me and not giving it his all! Beating him like that wasn't a real fucking victory!" he yelled.

"Ah yes, the other blond loudmouth. So your anger was not from losing first place, but from being looked down on? And Midoriya didn't look down on you, so you didn't get angry?" the Hero questioned.

Katsuki was silent for a moment before speaking; "She gave it her all while respecting me. She didn't look down on me. Both me and Izuka gave it our all and I lost; I as the loser have no right to complain in those circumstances."

"Hmm, interesting." Jeanist commented, "I assumed you came here just because I was the Number Four Hero…"

"I did." Katsuki cut him off; "You're the most popular hero aside from All-Might, so you're the one I need to learn from."

"I admire your honesty, but I confess to being disappointed." the Hero shook his head sadly, "I had hoped you wanted more than just Popularity..."

"Fuck Popularity!" Katsuki snapped; "I don't give a shit about it, but if I can't be popular and deal with the fucking public, then I'll just be a fucking weight on her ankles!"

Best Jeanist's eyes widened in surprise; "Her? Oh of course, Izuka Midoriya. I sent an offer to her too, but she chose to go with Endeavor instead. It makes sense I suppose; his quirk is more like hers than mine is, and after Midoriya threw her fight with him, I suspected he might be interested in cultivating her power." the man watched Katsuki closely, but the boy showed no reaction to the idea of Izuka throwing her fight; "Ah, so you knew? I saw through Midoriya's gambit from the beginning. Her power countered Endeavor perfectly; there was no way for Endeavor to win; Midoriya taught him a lesson, then threw the match all so the Public wouldn't lose hope."

"I know that, Dammit!" Katsuki finally snapped; "That's why I want to fucking learn from you! Izuka did what was right, she knew what to do from the beginning and keeps doing things that hurt her just for the sake of others. She's so damn noble, she needs someone to look out for her, 'cause lord fucking knows she won't look out for herself! If I don't get popular, I can't stand by her side and I can't fucking surpass her either! What good am I to her if I'm just dead weight! Izuka said it to Endeavor; Power ain't enough to be Number One!"

Best Jeanist smiled beneath his collar. He was actually rather impressed by the boy; Bakugou understood that if he stayed his abrasive self all the time, he'd become unpopular and if he formed a Team with a popular hero like Midoriya was becoming, he'd just bring her down as all her deeds were blackened by her association with him, but not only that, Bakugou knew he had to be able to win the trust of the Public to become Number One. It was more insight than Best Jeanist had expected.

"All right, you have convinced me." Jeanist clapped, "Tomorrow, we'll start my "Public Relations Boot Camp"! For today, I will give you the tour and introduce you to my Sidekicks. What is your Hero Name?"

"The Big Bang Hero: Burst Magnus." Katsuki answered proudly, "It's the name Izuka gave me."

"Very nice. Out of curiosity, what would you have called yourself?" the Hero asked.

Katsuki grinned; "King Explosion Murder! Izuka would be Queen Inferno Murder!"

"TERRIBLE!" Jeanist screamed; "Forget the tour, we can't afford to waste even a single day! The "Public Relations Boot Camp" starts now! I'll also throw in some of my patented "Be a Better Boyfriend" lessons!"

Katsuki flinched at the intensity in the man's voice and eyed the comb he had retrieved like it was a knife. He had a feeling he'd bitten off a bit more than he could chew...

All across the region, his fellow Class 1-A students were experiencing their own meetings with their Pro-Hero teachers, each raring to go and learn. Back at U.A, Mineta was studying and training hard, having made friends with a really nice girl and begun working with a guy from the Support Course; he wasn't going on an Internship, but that didn't mean he couldn't do his own training! Slowly, their class marched forward on their roads to Herohood, though in the years to come, they'd not remember that week for their Internships… it would be for the Eight Precept Uprisings and the chaos they caused.

 **[ELSEWHERE]**

The little girl tiptoed around the corner, keeping as silent as possible. She needed to escape… she needed to get away! She couldn't take it any more! The Experiments had become more frequent, and now the Bad Man had managed to perfect his weapon; a bullet that inflicted her curse on other people, stealing their quirks forever!

Hours ago, the Bad Man had come back from a meeting with more Bad People and said that she'd have another girl to play with soon, but the Little Girl was scared; these Bad People had what they wanted from her (or at least she thought so) and were now getting another girl! Did that mean they were done with her? Then what would they do with her!? She had to run, so had to escape!

Slipping past her guards and finding the entrance, the Little Girl made a run for it. She would be free… Eri would be free!


	5. Battle Girl Izuka

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 5: Battle Girl Izuka**

On the second day of her Work Experience, Izuka awoke in unfamiliar surroundings. The girl slowly sat up, realising she was sleeping on a Futon in a Japanese style room. The last thing she remembered was fighting Blade Jester in Endeavor's Agency, so she reasoned that she'd passed out. This had to be the Todoroki Estate; the décor matched perfectly with what Shoto had done to his room at the dorms. Izuka quickly got up and found her clothes, changing into them while hoping that it had been a maid or something who had dressed her into her night clothes…

Emerging from the Todorokis' Guest Room, Izuka was met by an elderly lady in a kimono, who bowed politely to her. "Miss Midoriya, Good Morning. I was sent by Master Todoroki to wake you. He asks that you join him and Young Master Shoto for breakfast in the hall. Might I escort you?" the lady asked kindly.

"Yes please." Izuka bowed politely, and the Lady smiled sweetly at her as she turned to lead the girl to her hosts. The Todoroki Estate was in the heart of Geonosu Ward and like all homes in the ward, was a wealthy Japanese style estate. Izuka was led to the hall, which was really a large room with a long, low table in the centre and numerous cushions around it to act as seats. Endeavor (already in uniform) was at the head of the table with Shoto at his right. Upon seeing her, Endeavor gestured for Izuka to take the seat at his left, which she did obediently.

"Good Morning, Endeavor sir, Shoto." Izuka greeted politely.

"'Morning Izuka." Shoto replied coolly. He was used to waking up early (it was about 6am) but he wasn't a morning person.

Endeavor nodded sternly at her; "Are you well rested? I will be training you thoroughly today."

Izuka gulped; "Yes sir. Um, if it's okay sir, what happened yesterday? The last thing I remember is fighting Blade Jester."

Endeavor smirked; "You fought until you dropped. It was actually rather impressive… if it weren't for the fact I had to carry you out. My damned Sidekicks were taking pictures." he ended with a grumble as more servants entered with stacks upon stacks of food.

Izuka's stomach grumbled, forcing Shoto to stifle a laugh while Endeavor noticeably ignored the sound. As part of the living arrangements for the Interns on their work experience, each of the Hero Supervisors were informed of any dietary needs for their temporary wards, so Endeavor had been alerted that Izuka needed to eat a lot more than a normal girl, so he had his cooks prepared a veritable banquet, which they did with gusto, not having had to cook so much since the Todoroki family was last all together. Izuka felt her mouth water as she looked at the meal; it was a Japanese style breakfast as opposed to the western style she was used to at home, so there was a lot of rice and fish.

After the traditional table prayer, the three dived in and for the second time in the last two days, Endeavor was amazed by the girl. She ate more than Endeavor and Shoto combined and then kept eating! Endeavor had to tilt his head to subtly look at the girl's stomach, yet it didn't seem to swell or bloat…. Where the hell did this girl put it all!? Her manners were impeccable of course; Mama Midoriya had been meticulous in teaching her daughter proper manners, especially since her Papa ate rather quickly and messily, so she had to counter his bad influence. The Maids and the Todorokis were amazed when Izuka finally stopped, having devoured everything in reach. "Thank you for the meal!" Izuka chirped happily.

Endeavor turned to Shoto, "Shoto, what did I just watch?"

His son smirked wryly; "Izuka's quirk burns calories rapidly just by existing, and she uses the excess food she eats as fuel for her fire. Auntie Inko, our Dorm Manager, explained that it all gets converted into raw energy inside her body, which is why she doesn't get huge despite eating so much."

"As a side effect of that though, my body grows slowly since all the calories and energy are consumed by my quirk, which is why I'm small." Izuka smiled; "I was extra hungry since I missed dinner yesterday. If I don't eat enough, then my flames start using my life energy as fuel and if I use too much..." she trailed off, not wanting the Maids to hear of her immortality. Endeavor was mildly shocked; so the girl's own quirk could kill her from overuse? He'd need to watch that and ensure she eats every meal from now on. Endeavor did NOT want to face All-Might and confess that he let his precious daughter accidentally starve and work herself to death…

"So what are we going to be doing today?" Shoto asked, wanting to change the subject.

"I plan for us to go on a patrol around Musutafu's city centre this afternoon, but for this morning, we will continue where we left off yesterday." Endeavor stated.

Izuka frowned, "I feel like I've hit a wall..." she admitted, "No matter how hard I try, I can't stop that moment of hesitation before a blow. If I can't get over it, how am I supposed to fight real villains!?"

Shoto blinked; "I still don't really understand why you hesitate. You don't when training with us in class, or in the Sports Festival. And you didn't hold back against that Noumu."

"That was different." Izuka argued; "Noumu wasn't a person any more; it was just a mindless weapon, so fighting it wasn't a problem, and the Sports Festival and training aren't real battles; they're just simulations. I can act without worry because I know I'll be stopped if I go a bit too far… but with Blade Jester, I'm trying to imagine him as I would a real villain, so I hesitate."

Shoto shrugged; "Then stop thinking of it like that. Just remember that it's only training and you'll do fine."

"That would be pointless, Shoto." Endeavor cut in, "The whole point of this training is to enable her to fight real villains without hesitation. At the USJ, you killed the Noumu without worry, but you held back against the two ring leaders because they were real humans. If you hadn't, they'd either be captured or dead."

Izuka scowled, her hands clenched tightly in frustration; "But I don't know what to do! The moment I think about using my power to hurt another person for real, I freeze up!"

Endeavor rubbed his chin, his flame beard flickering in his fingers; "Hmm, this problem must be resolved or you can never be trusted as a real hero. Wait, what about the Moncalama Incident?"

Izuka's eyes widened; "Muscular! I didn't hesitate against him! He was a real villain and I didn't freeze!"

"We're getting somewhere!" Shoto smiled, "So what's different between then and now?"

"Well, it's been two years since then..." Izuka hummed, "I'm stronger, but I don't think that's the problem… I'm better with my Strength Quirk too, but I used it at 100% then and only at around 20% now, so that can't be the problem."

"Think less about your body and quirk." Endeavor said, "The problem is your mind, so focus on that. What has changed mentally and emotionally in the last two years?"

Izuka thought hard, "Well I have friends now, other than Kacchan… I've had some work experience with different heroes since then too. What else…? I bet Doctor Miragi would be able to help me more here." suddenly, Izuka's eyes widened; "That's it! Doctor Miragi! In the years since I fought Muscular, I continued my therapy with her! It only ended a little while before starting U.A!"

"What did this therapy entail? I assumed it was just dealing with the effects of your capture by All for One." Endeavor questioned.

Izuka grinned; "It was, but because of my Evolution Quirk, I had developed a kind of mental fortress. It let me resist brainwashing, but it also helped keep me sane and emotionally balanced by sealing away thoughts and feelings that I couldn't accept at the time! My therapy with Doctor Miragi was about dismantling that fortress and accepting the things I'd locked inside!"

Shoto suddenly understood; "So you think that your reluctance to hurt enemies was one of the things sealed up, and it was only released after the fight with Muscular?"

"Yes!" Izuka cheered. She had already retrieved her notebook and was feverishly writing in it.

Endeavor hummed, "Do you think you can recreate that fortress?"

"I already have, at least partially. It's how I was able to resist Hitoshi's brainwashing! I still remember the feeling, so I think I can dismantle and recreate the fortress at will! I just need to figure out how to seal select feelings behind it..." Izuka explained.

"Excellent!" Endeavor roared with a fiery grin, "Let's get to the car. The sooner we get to the Agency, the sooner we can test this!" he said, urging the two teens to their feet and running to the car waiting outside for them. As they ran, the Flame Hero turned to Izuka; "I have just one question, Midoriya."

"What is it sir?"

Endeavor frowned; "What the hell is a Kacchan?"

Izuka and Shoto burst into laughter, confusing the hero even more. He never did get his answer.

A short while later, the trio was back in the training area of Endeavor's Agency, dressed in their Hero Gear and facing Embright and Blade Jester again. This time, Izuka took the lead and fought first, taking a few seconds to focus on her mental fortress.

She had to carefully isolate feelings within her and allow the walls of the fortress to weave around and encompass them. It wasn't like she had a complete guide or understanding of exactly what feelings were the cause of her hesitation, so she had to use logic to concentrate and isolate the individual emotions. She could feel Endeavor growing impatient, and since Izuka didn't want to test the man's patience (he was a better person, not a Good Person after all) she just shoved all her feelings, with the exception of her sense of self-preservation and her will to fight, into the fortress and slammed it shut. This proved to be a mistake however, as Izuka immediately lost all perception, becoming unable to see, hear or move. She was thrust into a dark void, similar to the one she was in when she died, but unlike then, she could feel faint echoes of touch, as if her body was still moving without her conscious mind. Izuka gulped; she had likely knocked herself out by forcing her consciousness into the fortress, which meant Endeavor would likely be angry with her… still, she decided to keep the fortress up so she could spend a bit more time trying to figure out which of her feelings was the cause of her hesitation.

This continued for only five minutes before Izuka felt a sharp pain in her arms and legs, as if she'd been slashed by Blade Jester's special poison daggers. The pain wasn't anywhere near enough to bring down her fortress, but it was enough to drag her consciousness out. Izuka was a bit upset when she returned to the waking world, angry that Endeavor would have Blade Jester cut her while she was unconscious, but that feeling vanished when she became fully aware of her surroundings.

The Training Area was a wreck, almost every surface had at least one scorch mark or hole from a punch, and most of the gear in the room had been reduced to ash or molten scrap metal. Embright was cradling a broken arm and was covered in minor burns. Endeavor was panting hard, bleeding heavily from his nose and mouth, as well as several blistering burns on his arms and torso. Shoto was covered completely in his ice and was panting heavily, but otherwise unharmed. Blade Jester was the one who was hurt the worst; his costume was in tatters, barely covering his face and his modesty as the rest was burned to ash. His legs were both broken and his left arm was so badly burnt, it was barely even attached; it clung to his shoulder by only a charred bone and some scorched sinews of muscle. Izuka gasped, bile crawling up her throat as she realised; this was her doing.

Her body had been moving without her conscious mind controlling it… spurred onward by the two feelings she'd left free; her Sense of Self-Preservation and her Will to Fight. As a result, she'd gone berserk, fighting everything that her unconscious mind took as a threat and worse, fighting it until it couldn't fight any more… it was a miracle that all four of her victims survived. Izuka wanted to run, but she couldn't; she had to fix this.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do this, I swear it! I-I don't know why…" she stuttered out, dreadfully pale.

"We figured that!" came a voice. Izuka spun around and found Flare Drake and a small army of medics and support staff behind him. "A guy in the security office alerted us that you had gone berserk! It was pretty clear when we got here that you weren't yourself. What happened?" the hero asked kindly as the Medics began seeing to the injuries.

"I'm not sure what happened… I wasn't really conscious." Izuka muttered sadly. She began healing Jester, who patted her head with his good hand to show he felt no grudge against her. As Izuka healed, using her own blood and the blood donated by the Support Staff, Endeavor explained what happened.

"It was promising at first. Just as we hoped, she stopped hesitating and became a real powerhouse. She demolished Jester in seconds… but then when he fell and surrendered, she didn't stop! She smashed his damn legs. Embright tried to stop her and got her arm snapped like a twig. Then I jumped in and got the ever loving shit beaten out of me. She only hesitated to attack Shoto, but then again, he only really got involved by putting up ice walls between us and her." Endeavor said, an odd mix of pride and frustration in his words. Izuka was working fast, healing feverishly in an attempt to assuage some of the guilt she felt for causing such injuries. The Medics were amazed that Izuka had been able to restore Blade Jester to full health, including his destroyed arm; they had been certain they'd need to amputate it and the Sidekick's career would be over. Shoto was very relieved that this wasn't the case, or Izuka would never forgive herself… she was having a hard enough time doing it now.

Once the three heroes were healed, Izuka knelt on the ground and touched her head to the floor, bowing as deeply as possible to them as she once again apologised. "I'm truly sorry for what I've done. I really didn't mean to hurt you all… I'll accept any punishment you see fit."

Blade Jester and Embright just waved her off kindly, understanding it was just an accident, but Endeavor scoffed with a maniacal grin; "Punishment? Apologies? Don't be ridiculous! That was almost perfect! With power like that and that kind of skill and lack of hesitation… if you can control it, you'll be the perfect fighter! No villain will stand a chance!"

"Father!" Shoto yelled, "Are you being serious!? Izuka isn't like you; she doesn't want to just beat on villains!"

Endeavor scoffed, "Come now Shoto, even you must see it! That wild form… it is the epitome of what I've tried to create! It is what I wanted for you; an unrelenting and dauntless power! With proper control she'd be invincible! I wonder if that mental fortress can be taught to you..."

Shoto growled furiously; "You haven't changed at all! Hero I can be proud off… what a farce!" he snapped.

Endeavor suddenly froze. Power wasn't enough… those words that had helped shatter his pride and open him to change once again echoed in his head. It disgusted him how quickly he had become drunk with power again… maybe he hadn't changed as much as he thought; Shoto certainly didn't think so. His staff weren't looking at him, keeping their eyes down and pretending to not be paying attention. Embright looked disappointed and Flare Drake was looking sympathetically at Shoto and Izuka. Even Jester, who's face was still obscured by the remains of his mask and hood, seemed to be looking disapprovingly at him. Endeavor could scarcely believe it… the changes he'd tried to make… were they for nothing!? One tiny glimpse at the power he had once wanted for Shoto and himself, and suddenly he was back to being a power-hungry bastard! It disgusted the man as once again the two sides of his mind warred with each other, one screaming that this was his dream and that this was power and power was truth, while the other screamed that he was disappointing his son once again, becoming the same kind of monster he had been before.

Sighing and swallowing his pride, Endeavor nodded to Shoto; "I apologise. I forgot myself for a moment. I allowed the adrenaline to addle my brain. Midoriya; that power, while very useful for combat, is dangerous. I'll help you learn to control it… with Shoto's help." Endeavor didn't trust himself not to become drunk on power again if left alone, "Embright, Blade Jester; you two have done enough for today. Take a day off. The rest of you; good work. I'll give you all a small bonus as thanks for your hard work." he said, before leading Shoto and Izuka back to his office.

For the whole walk, Shoto was silently watching his father… how much of his change was true and not just an act? A man that was willing to engage in a Quirk Marriage and then abandon three children, abuse his wife and beat his youngest son wasn't a man Shoto could trust, but he had really hoped Endeavor had changed, if even a little bit. It made the boy think of Izuka's confrontation with Hisashi at the Sports Festival… perhaps deep down, Shoto felt the same way Izuka did; not truly loving his father, but also wanting the man to truly care for him. Shoto wanted the things Endeavor had told him after the Sports Festival to be true, to believe that maybe, his father was just a man who lost his way in the pursuit of power… put how could Shoto trust him? How could he know for certain that Endeavor wasn't just acting in an attempt to trick Shoto to his path? The man had been so pleasant (compared to his old self at least) that Shoto had almost forgotten what he'd done and began to imagine them as just father and son, rather than a cruel Pro-Hero and the weapon he created. Shoto silently scolded himself… how could he be so foolish! Endeavor had abused him for years; Shoto shouldn't have forgotten that just because the man wasn't being an asshole for the first time ever.

Beside him, Izuka was also deep in thought, though her thoughts weren't focused on Endeavor, but herself. Izuka couldn't stop internally scolding herself; sealing everything but her will to fight and sense of self-preservation… how foolish could she be! Of course that would only lead to disaster! Her will to fight had spurred her on, forcing her to keep fighting while her sense of self-preservation, without her morality to guide it, had interpreted every touch and action as a potential threat and sent her to crush that perceived threat violently. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Izuka could very well have killed someone… only Blade Jester using his good arm to cut her limbs as she focused on Endeavor had snapped her out of her fortress and stopped her from going even further.

It was three sullen heroes that arrived in Endeavor's office, each focused on heavily on the emotions within them; guilt, anger and frustration. Endeavor hated it… he was the damn Number Two Hero, not a fucking villain! He needed to act like it and he needed to prove it to his son and Midoriya.

"I repeat my apology from earlier; it was wrong of me to act in such a way. A Hero doesn't do such things, so be sure to learn from my poor example." Endeavor admitted. It almost physically hurt to throw aside his pride, but he did so anyway. Shoto looked at him with narrowed eyes but said nothing, while Izuka nodded.

"I apologise again as well. This happened because I was stupid. I became impatient, so I recklessly sealed away emotions and became a berserk monster..." Izuka said sadly.

Shoto sighed and patted the girl's head, "Relax Izuka… we're all entitled to mistakes, even you. Not even an Angel can be flawless all the time. We all get second chances." he said, his eyes flickering to his father for a second. Endeavor understood immediately; Shoto was including him as well… his Son didn't trust him, but he was at least willing to give Endeavor another chance, though it was clear that if Endeavor wasted that chance, Shoto would never trust him again, even if he became a flawless hero.

"Shoto is correct. Let us move forward; what emotions did you seal to cause that change?" Endeavor asked.

Izuka looked at her hands sheepishly; "All of them… minus my self-preservation and will to fight."

Endeavor face palmed and Shoto cringed; "Well of course you'll go berserk with only those emotions! You were stripped down to your fight or flight responses and without fear and with a will to fight, you couldn't flee so you just attacked! You need a lot more than that to fight efficiently and safely!"

"I know sir..." Izuka meekly replied, "I just didn't know what to seal! It's not like I have a "hesitates when attacking in a real fight" emotion I can just seal up."

Endeavor hummed and stroked his chin. Finally he nodded and stood; "Follow me." he demanded, taking the two teens to his private training area in his office. It was much the same as the communal training areas on the lower floors, but everything here was designed for Endeavor, so it was all fireproof. There was even a clear screen protecting a small area where people could stand while being safe from whoever was training, so Endeavor could listen to reports and have meetings while training. Endeavor had Shoto stand in that area while Izuka stood with the Pro in the actual training area.

"Alright, I'm going to tell you what NOT to seal and see where that gets us. Shoto..." he looked to his son and pointed to a button on the wall; "That button will trigger the sprinkler system and the automated fire extinguishers; if Midoriya begins to rampage, then push it. The extinguisher foam has sedative properties in the event I get too into my training and refuse to stop, but it will also prove useful here."

"Got it." Shoto said, standing beside the button. Izuka nodded silently, preparing herself.

Endeavor turned to Izuka; "Alright, seal everything except your consciousness, memory, morality, will to fight and sense of self-preservation."

Izuka gulped but nodded. Concentrating, she allowed her fortress walls to rise up and begin snaking their away through her mind, encompassing and sealing everything but the five aspects of herself that Endeavor had named. The girl gasped when she was done, as her mind felt crystal clear and everything suddenly clicked. Without even thinking, she activated her Phoenix Shroud, or as it was now called; "Angelic Aura!"

Her new version of the move was much the same as before; she coated herself in flame to boost her effectiveness, but also kept One for All running through her at 20%. Now though, it included her new mental technique, allowing her to fight with Villains without hesitating.

Izuka smiled, a faint satisfaction coursing through her as she looked at her fist, coated in pale flames and crackling with the red and green lightning that she'd come to associate with One for All. Unlike her Berserk Mode, Izuka remained conscious and in control; her consciousness, memories and morality ensuring she wouldn't lose control or act against her will, however all of her emotions were sealed up. Because those emotions were so tightly entwined with her consciousness and morality, Izuka couldn't seal them completely, so rather than being gone, they were extremely muted. In reality, her faint satisfaction was actually the type to make a normal Izuka jump up and down with joy, but as heavily restrained as it was, she simply smiled a bit.

"Do you think you've managed it?" Endeavor asked.

"I think so." Izuka said, flexing her body, "My mind is clear, but my body feels a bit stiff… I think sealing my emotions might have reduced my fluidity a bit."

"Not a surprise, you're usually so emotional, even the way you walk or fidget is effected by your mood." Shoto gently teased. Izuka simply raised an eyebrow, unable to show the embarrassment she felt deep down.

Endeavor grinned; "Well then, let's see how you fight now!" he declared, moving to attack.

As it turned out, while Izuka felt like she was less flexible, Endeavor didn't notice a real difference as she mercilessly struck at him. It was only light sparring, as opposed to their battle at the Sports Festival or their earlier encounter while Izuka was berserk, but it was clear that Izuka wasn't hesitating; her every blow struck true and hard and she thought with much less hesitation and fear. While a normal person would attack and defend recklessly or cautiously based on their personality and how they felt in the battle, Izuka was fighting emotionlessly, her morality ensuring she never struck harder than was needed to win and her sense of self-preservation ensuring she defended exactly as she had to rather than recklessly taking blows or cautiously defending early against weak or slow attacks. She wasn't actually any stronger, she was just fighting more efficiently; letting her instincts take over. There was a disadvantage though; Izuka couldn't employ any of her cunning plans while using this form, as her skill in strategising was based more in her emotions and fangirl side than her critical and logical mind.

Endeavor was able to fight Izuka to a tie, his raw strength enough to stand against her moderate use of One for All. Izuka wasn't going for the win; she was just training, so she ensured the battle lasted until both she and Endeavor were too tired to continue. However, there was another factor that Izuka hadn't paid attention to until now; Experience. In an even fight, Endeavor would crush her… she was only able to beat him because her quirk nullified his own quirk and One for All allowed her to make up for the difference in strength and stature, allowing her to ultimately overpower him with raw force, but if Izuka kept her strength at a reasonable level and didn't add her flames to the equation, then even without his quirk, Endeavor could beat her. Even if she pushed her strength so it was a little bit more than his, Endeavor could use his advanced skill and experience to overcome the difference. Izuka smiled as she absorbed some of Shoto's flames while Endeavor gulped down an energy drink.

"I think I've got it." she smiled, "I can fight now, but the way I fight isn't good enough, right?"

Endeavor smirked and nodded; "You're right. You've got some skills; that martial arts style you use, the one with the kicks and fancy flips, is pretty good, but you still rely on overpowering your opponents. It's the same with Shoto." he said, beckoning his son to come and sit on the floor with them, "You've both got power and skill, but you don't have the experience to use those aspects cleverly or effectively, at least not enough for a pro. I saw it in the Sports Festival; when faced with an opponent with skills you couldn't shrug off or effortlessly evade, you went all out in power, using that to compensate. You used big moves where smaller, more controlled moves would be more effective."

Shoto hummed, "Like a Doctor using a cleaver instead of a scalpel; it'll get the job done, but it's not as refined and might lead to more trouble if used recklessly."

"You got it! As a couple of kids in your first year, you're fine, but you've got a long way to go before you reach Pro level. That's why after yesterday, I decided to focus on Midoriya first today, as once her hesitation problem is stripped away, her biggest flaw is the same as yours, Shoto. Observe." Endeavor ordered, walking over to a pair of iron mannequins. With a roar, he blasted the first with a massive burst of flame, keeping it up for several seconds before finally stopping. The mannequin was glowing white as it melted and slopped to the floor, much of the surrounding area covered in ash and soot. "That was an example of you two and your powers; strong, but unrefined and uncontrolled. Now see how a pro does it!" Endeavor declared, focusing the same amount of flame as before into a powerful heat beam that blasted a hole right through the chest of the second mannequin.

"Do you see the difference? Uncontrolled, I achieved my goal of destroying the mannequin, but in the process, I went overboard and did more damage than I wanted as well as effecting the surrounding area. But controlled, I was able to achieve my goal much faster, with less wasted energy and no excess damage to the mannequin or the surroundings."

Endeavor smiled with satisfaction as he saw Izuka fitfully writing everything he said down, her eyes sparkling. Shoto was watching his father with wide eyes, and for one beautiful instant, Enji Todoroki thought he saw actual pride in those eyes. Riding high on that adrenaline, Enji grinned wider and got to his feet; "Let's go eat lunch. Then we're going out on patrol!" he announced, causing both teens to cheer and follow after him.

Enji Todoroki decided in that instant that he had been right to try and change; the respect of his son and the daughter of All-Might was now his, fledgeling as it was. Maybe in the future, he'd be able to fix everything. It would be an impossibly long journey; twenty years of steady indifference leading to abuse wasn't going to be healed quickly or easily, but the man at least wanted to try. Maybe then, he could finally face Rei again. Until that day came, he would continue to change and watch over his son Shoto, ensuring the boy grew up to be a better man than his father.


	6. Overhaul

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 6: Overhaul**

Izuka and Shoto were both smiling as they walked behind Endeavor, patrolling through the streets of Musutafu's City Centre. This was their first patrol as Young Heroes, and Izuka was vibrating with excitement. She hadn't been on a real patrol in a long time; not since she did some of her junior internships with Water Hose or the U.A teachers. The experience of patrolling with Endeavor was a lot different though.

Endeavor kept a neutral expression on his face, not looking directly at anyone unless they purposely caught his attention. Unlike most heroes, he wasn't pestered for autographs or selfies, since he was well known as an Anti-Social Hero, but due to his slightly improved personality, he at least offered a nod of acknowledgement to the few people who tried to talk to him, politely (and gruffly) informing them that he was on patrol, so he couldn't be distracted.

Shoto and Izuka were both recognised from the Sports Festival and got a fair bit of attention, usually from kind adults shouting good luck to them or little kids cheerfully waving at them. At one point, their patrol was interrupted by a trio of Elementary School kids asking for their Autographs. Endeavor declined as always, but allowed his two interns to sign… those three kids were the first people to get the autographs of Seraphim and Celsius!

After roughly an hour, once the people in the city centre had gotten used to the presence of the three heroes, Endeavor relaxed a bit and turned to his interns; "As Patrols go, this is the standard in high population areas like this. You'll rarely encounter much in the way of a serious incident in such a place, only the occasional car accident or some petty thug snatching a purse or robbing a convenience store. Heroes only patrol such places to help remind the people that we're here. It cuts down on crime when crooks see us ready to burn them to cinders." he explained.

"Strictly speaking, Heroes are government employees and are legally considered a part of the Judicial Branch of the Government, since we focus on enforcing the law and assisting the police. However, we are also classified as an Emergency Service due to our rescue work. Celsius, do you remember the three types of hero work?" Endeavor quizzed them.

"Combat, Rescue and Support." Shoto answered confidently.

"Good. Seraphim, what are the three types of Assignments?" Endeavor smirked. Izuka and Shoto blinked… did Endeavor just ask the same question again?

"I'm not sure what you mean sir..." Izuka answered, puzzled.

Endeavor smirked wider; "Didn't think so; a lot of novices get mixed up on that. Hero Work is divided into Combat, Rescue and Support, but our actual assignments are based on how we get the work rather than the content of the work. They are Live Events, Emergency Events and Bounty Events." he explained. "Live Events are what we're on the look out for. They're jobs that occur spontaneously during a Patrol. Basically just problems we stumble across and solve immediately. Emergency Events are similar, but they are the calls sent out to all agencies in the vicinity of the disaster. It's how the Emergency Services alert heroes; basically a call for help and people come running. Lastly, Bounty Events are long term jobs like helping in an investigation or tracking down a villain that's escaped; they're treated like Emergency Events but without the high level of urgency, and they're sent out on a much wider level, rather than being restricted to the district like Emergency Events. Strictly speaking, each job we complete as Heroes comes under nine classifications like "Emergency Combat Event", "Live Rescue Event", "Bounty Support Event" and so on. Depending on the nature of the event, once the situation is resolved, we write reports and submit them to the Government, where an independent committee reviews it, compares it to other reports on the same event, then pays us based on what we did. The Danger Level of the Situation effects how much we get paid, as well as our participation."

Shoto whistled, "No wonder our family is so wealthy… I knew you got paid for being a hero, but I always thought it was from merchandise and image rights."

"All-Might gets a lot of his money from those, since he's less active now. There isn't much Endeavor merchandise though, so almost all of his money comes from resolved cases." Izuka said.

Endeavor nodded; "You've got it. You've learned about types of Hero Work in school, and I've told you about the classification system of our jobs, but when it comes to pay, it's all about Danger Level and Participation Level. For Participation, the levels are "Secondary Assist", "Primary Assist", "Secondary Main", "Primary Main" and "Solo" from lowest to highest. Secondary Assists are usually support heroes that help keep the area under control by keeping civilians out or keeping the enemy contained. Primary Assist are those that directly assist by helping fight or rescue. Mains are the people who actually defeat the enemy or resolve the incident; the only difference between Secondary and Primary Mains is that the Primary is the one that defeated the most villains or saved the most civilians, while all others are called Secondary. Solos are those who resolve an entire situation with no assistance from other heroes." the Flame Hero explained, "The Danger Level is much simpler; it's a letter grade that goes from D to A, then S to SSS. Hold on, I picked up a pamphlet..." the man took out a small pamphlet that he'd taken from the lobby of his agency and handed it to the teens.

 _The New Hero's Guide to Danger Levels!_

 _D: Low Threat, usually petty criminals whose quirk isn't suited for violence. Usually handled by the Police._

 _C: Mid to Low Threat; slightly more dangerous and possess quirks that might prove damaging. The most common threat encountered by Heroes._

 _B: Medium Threat, professional criminals with dangerous quirks. Best dealt with by more experienced heroes or a duo of newer heroes._

 _A: Mid to High Threat: Usually members of criminal organisations. These criminals are all Villains and may present a significant danger to even heroes. Best handled by multiple heroes._

 _S: High Threat; Villains that present a danger to an entire city. Must be approached with extreme caution. Elite Heroes work together against these foes._

 _SS: National Threat: Villains that can pose a realistic problem to an entire country. Usually used as a danger level for dangerous villain organisations. Only the Top Heroes are able to face them._

 _SSS: Global Threat: Villains that are capable of causing world-wide devastation. This rank is outside the purview of heroes and is usually handled by elite military organisations from around the world._

Shoto scratched his head; "Types of Hero Work, Job types, danger levels, participation levels… this is all needlessly complicated." he complained.

"Most Heroes agree." Endeavor nodded, "But it's a necessary metric that the Government uses to pay us. When Monetising Heroism, they have to be very careful. I have a whole book of regulations somewhere in my office..." he muttered.

Izuka giggled; "I think I saw it. You were using it as a coaster."

Endeavor smirked; "Best damn use for it! Look, we're heroes, not bureaucrats. Just help the people you come across and take any jobs sent to you, then send in reports. Don't pay attention to the rest of that crap… except the danger levels though; they're really damn helpful for you newbies."

Izuka and Shoto chuckled and continued their patrol in comfortable silence, thinking about what Endeavor had told them. They were getting ready to head back to the Agency, as they had ventured to the edge of the district, when suddenly, their peaceful day descended to chaos.

As Izuka was walking past an alleyway, Endeavor and Shoto a few paces ahead of her, she was suddenly knocked off balance as a small child crashed into her side, having run out of the alley at breakneck speed. The child squeaked in surprise and fell backward to the ground, looking up at Izuka with terrified eyes. Izuka blinked in surprise, then knelt down beside the child.

"Ah! My bad! That must've hurt. Here, let me help you." Izuka smiled gently, holding her hands out to pick up the child. It was a little girl, only about six years old with pure white hair and pretty red eyes that reminded Izuka a bit of her Kacchan. She had a small horn on the right side of her forehead and it looked quite charming on the little girl, but after a moment of examination, Izuka felt her blood run cold. The girl was dressed in a tattered and dirty white dress with no shoes, and all four of her limbs were covered in bandages… the child was panting, exhausted and terrified, acting like a caged animal. Izuka felt a wave of fury in the pit of her stomach, but forced it down as she smiled at the girl.

"Hey now, it's okay. I'm here, so I'll protect you." Izuka comforted, gently hugging the girl. The little girl shivered violently, but slowly relaxed into the hug, her whimpers dying down to little sniffles. Endeavor and Shoto had taken notice and turned to see what was happening, when another person came out of the Alleyway…

"Look what you've done now, causing a hero so much trouble." the man scolded. He was a brown haired man with an orange beak-shaped mask covering his nose and mouth, and he wore a distinctive green coat with a furry collar.

"Come back, Eri." he ordered.

Izuka tensed up, subconsciously pulling the little girl, Eri, further into the hug. Shoto was glaring at the man suspiciously and Endeavor was in full on battle mode, vaguely recognising the man but unable to put his finger on who he was.

The man was ignoring the two male heroes, focused entirely on Eri and Izuka. He was watching Izuka closely, a hint of recognition in his eyes. "Sorry about my daughter, Hero." he said, "She's been playing around too much and gotten herself all scraped up. Honestly, she worries me sick!" he added, a false jovial tone to his words.

Shoto stepped forward, "I'm no doctor, but you don't get bandages like that from just playing rough. Plus, why'd you let your kid run around bare foot and in such tattered clothes?" he said suspiciously.

"He's not my daddy..." Eri whispered. Her terrified voice drove another blade into Izuka's heart. Izuka looked up at the man trying to take Eri and glared furiously… this whole situation hit too close to home for her; this man reminded her of All for One.

Izuka began to silently open a link, as Endeavor finally recognised the man; "Now I know who you are!" the Flame Hero declared; "You're Kai Chisaki! Villain Name: Overhaul and leader of the Criminal Organisation known as the Eight Precepts of Death!"

Izuka froze; the Eight Precepts of Death!? That meant that this guy was working with the League of Villains! Chisaki sighed and the look in his eyes turned predatory; "I should have known that a big shot pro like you would recognise me… But to think you have such an awful case of Chronic Heroism." he looked to Izuka, "I know you, Phoenix. I know what you possess… and I'm going to take it away. I was pretty pissed when Eri ran away, but it looks like she lead me right to you. Come quietly now… or I'll kill you a few times." Chisaki threatened, beginning to take off the odd medical gloves he wore.

Eri immediately started struggling in Izuka's grip, as if she was trying to escape. When it became clear she couldn't get away, she looked up at Izuka with pleading eyes, "No! His hands!" Endeavor and Shoto looked to the girl with confusion, but Chisaki was already running at them, and before either could react in time, Chisaki slapped his hand against Endeavor, just as Eri screamed in terror.

Nothing happened.

Eri stared wide eyed as Chisaki was forced to dodge back from Endeavor's counter blow. The Villain was just as confused as the little girl, until both he and Eri noticed a few drops of blood streaming down Izuka's cheeks, like bloody tears. Izuka's eyes were bloodshot and bleeding, the irises had turned red and her eyes remained trained on Chisaki.

"A quirk that requires you to touch us with your hands? I've dealt with that before..." Izuka smiled confidently, using her Link with Aizawa to erase Chisaki's quirk. "You won't hurt Eri ever again!"

Overhaul cursed quietly; he forgot that the Phoenix Girl could use the quirks of those she linked with, but even if he'd remembered, no one had told him she had linked with freaking Eraserhead! Still, it was pretty clear by her bleeding eyes that Phoenix couldn't keep this up for long.

Enduring the pain in her eyes, Izuka mentally spoke with Aizawa; _"Aizawa-Sensei! Thank you for lending me your quirk. Endeavor, Celsius and I have engaged Overhaul, the leader of the Eight Precepts. He was trying to kidnap an injured child! Send us any support you can! We're located on the south end of Gunrei Street in the Musutafu City Centre!"_

" _Izuka, hold fast, I'll alert All-Might and get some heroes to you as soon as possible. Let Endeavor do the real fighting and focus on protecting the child!"_ Aizawa responded, already running to gather help for the trio.

Izuka nodded and looked to Endeavor, who was using a wall of fire to stop Overhaul from retreating or attacking, since Izuka's eyes were no longer fixed on him. "Endeavor, I've contacted Eraserhead! Help is on the way!"

Endeavor smirked; "Good work. You and Celsius protect the girl, I'll deal with this villain!" he declared.

Overhaul growled; "Don't be so arrogant, "Hero"… I'm not a weakling." and with that, instead of going through the fire, Overhaul touched his hand to the wall of the alleyway and reconfigured it, causing the stone of the building to warp into a giant, fanged mouth that tried to bite down on Endeavor. Without missing a beat, Endeavor shot intense heat beams from all the fingers on his right hand, cutting the building to pieces while Celsius began using his ice to block off the area so Civilians weren't caught up in it. Thankfully the destroyed building was just a disused office building, so no one was inside, but Izuka wasn't willing to take any risks; she flew up to the roof of the building across the street, still cradling Eri, and fixed her eyes on Overhaul, ready to nullify his quirk the instant it looked like he might catch Endeavor or Celsius.

Overhaul saw this and using the gap in the fire ring made by the building he'd touched, he ran around the flames and touched his hand to the ground beside a parked car, causing the earth below it to shoot up and launch the car at the two girls. "I'll bring you down to earth, Phoenix!" he roared.

Izuka activated her Angelic Aura (minus the flames) and smacked the car away with her wings, ensuring it landed safely in a heap at the base of the building she stood on. "I'm not a Phoenix any more!" Izuka declared, "I'm the Eternal Hero: Seraphim!" she said, punctuating her words by firing a wave of her flame feathers at the man, forcing him to dodge backward into Endeavor, who easily backhanded Overhaul into the ground. Overhaul rolled away from the follow up punch and was able to force some distance between himself and Endeavor by touching the ice that Celsius shot at him and reconfiguring it to instead hit Endeavor, who evaded it but ended up further away as a result. Celsius was purposely keeping away from Overhaul, coating everything in the vicinity with a thin layer of ice, since it wouldn't effect his father and Overhaul would be forced to alter the ice before effecting what was underneath it with his quirk. Endeavor easily took control of the fight from there, punching and burning Overhaul continuously, keeping the villain on the run.

"You're winning! The Heroes are winning!" Eri cheered, almost in disbelief.

"We are. We'll defeat him and protect you, I promise!" Izuka smiled warmly.

"T-Thank you, Sera- Sera thing?" Eri blushed, not able to properly pronounce the word.

"Seraphim." Izuka gently corrected her.

"I don't know what that is..."

Izuka smiled wider, flapping her wings and making Eri giggle as the gentle breeze ruffled her hair, "It means I'm a Guardian Angel." Izuka said. Eri looked at her with awe.

"An angel…! Does… does that mean you're MY Guardian Angel?" Eri asked hopefully.

Izuka's heart twinged again and she hugged the adorable child; "I want to be an Angel for everyone, but I'll be yours first!" she promised, making Eri giggle more. Eri felt her cheeks aching… she didn't remember ever smiling before.

Down in the battle, Overhaul was having a seriously hard time standing up to Endeavor, who wasn't even fighting seriously. The Number Two Hero was effortlessly knocking the Villain around, holding back so he could show off a bit in front of his son and Seraphim. Celsius was easily holding his own as well, keeping Overhaul from getting close to him or his father and continuously using his ice to manipulate the landscape to his favour. The whole thing was almost too easy, and it looked to be getting easier as another hero showed up to assist.

The black plate armour and spear was unmistakeable, as the Hero Gammon appeared, using his heat vision to melt his way though Celsius' wall and enter the battlefield. Endeavor smirked upon seeing him.

"Gammon! I take it Drake sent you?" Endeavor said, punching Overhaul away again.

"I came as soon as I heard my comrade was in a fight." Gammon said, twirling his spear as he moved to stand beside Endeavor, opposite Overhaul. Endeavor chuckled and turned to the villain.

"Surrender, Overhaul. You don't stand a chance against the two of us."

Overhaul smirked beneath his mask, the mirth in his eyes alerting both Izuka and Celsius that something was wrong. Suddenly, Celsius shouted out; "Father! Look out!"

Endeavor startled, dodging to the side as suddenly, Gammon lunged his spear at him. The spear was aimed at the Hero's heart and would have killed him had Endeavor not been warned, but as a result of his surprise, Endeavor wasn't able to dodge completely and the spear cut deep into his side, slicing all the way to the ribs of the Hero. The Flame Hero grimaced and stumbled back, shocked by the sudden attack. "Gammon!? What the fuck are you doing!?" he demanded.

"The right thing." Gammon said, his deep voice rumbling out like thunder. "I followed you because you were strong, and sought to be the best through strength! But suddenly, you let some little bitch and your failure of a son to lead you astray! The Eight Precepts value strength though, and want to return us as a society to before the days of self-righteous heroes. All I had to do was help kill you and bring that little bitch to them." Gammon said, pointing his spear to Izuka, who was glaring down at him.

Endeavor roared and attacked, blasting Gammon with a massive burst of flame from his uninjured side, but the traitor was protected by Overhaul, who reshaped the ground between him and Endeavor into a protective wall. "Fucking Traitor! After everything I've done for you, you turn on me because I'm being less of an asshole!?" Endeavor screamed, turning up the intensity of his flames so they became blue and melted the protective wall into lava. Gammon used his spear like a Pole Jumper, flipping him over the wave of flame and lava and kicking Endeavor in the face, which only succeeded in pissing off the hero even more.

"I followed you for years, all because you were the one person in society who seemed to get it; Strength and Power alone should determine who stands on top! The Villains were weak and selfish, the Heroes were corporate whores and self-righteous, but you were different! I fucking worshipped you!" Gammon cried, slashing at Endeavor's uninjured side with his clawed gauntlet, managing to leave three shallow cuts in the hero's arm, "But now, you're saying Strength isn't enough! You're becoming just another fucking people pleaser like that bastard All-Might!"

Izuka narrowed her eyes (her hands had been covering Eri's ears since the swearing began). Gammon was just an edgy teenager at heart, thinking that because he was powerful, he should have a high status. She was willing to bet that the man had only become a Hero so he could legally fight others. On the battlefield, Shoto was thinking the same thing; along with numerous ways to kill the pig-faced traitor. If Shoto hadn't wanted so badly to be a Hero, taking the name of Celsius, he would have likely tried to kill Gammon already; as it was, he was surprised how angry he felt at the traitor wounding his father.

Endeavor was simply too furious to really think about why Gammon betrayed them. He was so incandescent with rage that he had only one thought… Gammon wanted the old Endeavor back? Well Enji Todoroki would be happy to oblige him. In an explosion of flame that had even Izuka fanning herself at the intensity, Endeavor blasted himself towards Gammon and Overhaul, catching the former's face in one hand and the latter's shoulder in the other. Overhaul tried to reach up and touch Endeavor with his free hand, but found his quirk once again erased by the keen eye of Izuka. Endeavor smashed the two villains together, dazing them and breaking Gammon's nose and Overhaul's arm, then smashed them both into the ground like a pair of rag dolls. Celsius immediately acting, using the ice already on the ground as a pathway for more ice, allowing him to freeze both villains to the ground. For a moment, it looked like that would be enough, since Izuka's eyes were trained on Overhaul and Gammon couldn't move his head enough to point his eyes and Heat Vision at the ice binding them, but at that moment, Izuka succumbed to the strain on her eyes and blinked, giving Overhaul the perfect opportunity to free himself.

Overhaul quickly dodged the follow up attacks of ice and fire from the Todoroki Heroes, while using the ice that had previously bound him to block the fire feather pot shots that Izuka had begun using. Endeavor quickly moved to catch the villain, his whole body coated in flame to stop Overhaul touching him (since it was clear from her eyes that Izuka couldn't afford to use Erasure again anytime soon) but at that moment, three things happened that turned the tide towards the villains. First, Overhaul fell to the ground, touching it as he went and causing a spike of earth to rip upwards into the wound on Endeavor's side, breaking his ribs and almost puncturing his lung. Second, out of a panic and concern for his father, Shoto ran forward, aiming to protect his dad before Overhaul could kill him. Third, and most devastatingly, Shoto ran in front of the still trapped Gammon, who had the perfect shot; the traitor shot his heat vision directly at Shoto's back, the twin beams blasting a pair of small inch wide holes right through Shoto's body, one through his hip bone and the other an inch or two above that one. Shoto screamed at the pain and collapsed to the ground mid-run, his forward momentum combining with the ice to make the wounded hero slide towards his injured dad.

"SHOTO!" Endeavor and Izuka both screamed as Eri sobbed at the sight.

Gammon sneered, "I was aiming for his heart, but he ran too fast. I won't miss this time!" he declared.

Endeavor roared with fury and tried to pull himself away from the spike that had impaled his side, his body burning so brightly that Overhaul couldn't get close. He wasn't fast enough though, and the second blast from Gammon was launched before Endeavor could free himself, shooting directly towards Shoto's heart.

In a flurry of action, Izuka forced One for All to 70% to compensate for the fact she couldn't use her fire while holding Eri, and charged into the fray. Eri was kept safely on Izuka's back, so Izuka was able to land and block Gammon's attack at the last instant. Since Gammon's quirk was eye-based heat beams as opposed to lasers like Aoyama's quirk, Izuka could easily block them, her forearm absorbing the beams without a problem. Endeavor sighed with relief, then once again took control of the situation. "Seraphim, take the girl and Celsius out of the battlefield. I'll deal with these two..."

Izuka nodded and gently shifted Eri so she was on the right side of her back while the young hero picked up Shoto and deposited the injured and wincing boy on her left shoulder. Before returning to the roof top, Izuka smashed the spike holding Endeavor and performed some quick emergency healing, getting a grunt in response as Endeavor immediately threw himself at Overhaul again. Izuka flew back to the rooftop to watch, but as far as she was concerned, the battle was over. Endeavor was even more furious than before, since his son had been hurt, and he wasn't holding back any more, blasting fire at Overhaul with such speed that the Villain had to scramble about to desperately touch a safe piece of earth to reconstruct into a shield, which because of Endeavor's heat, would only last a second or two. Gammon was still trapped, so Overhaul ran to free him and hopefully get some breathing room and much needed support.

Izuka healed Shoto while this was happening, "Hey Shoto, are you alright?" she asked.

Shoto grumbled and looked down at himself; the holes left by the heat beams had been healed completely, with the only evidence of them being scorched holes in his costume. "I'm better than I thought I'd be, thanks. How are you two doing?" he asked, looking to both Izuka and Eri.

"I-I'm okay..." Eri whispered, hiding behind Izuka. It seemed she was still too shy to talk to anyone but Izuka.

"I am as well. I'm working on healing my eyes, but using Erasure does a lot of damage, so it's taking a while." Izuka explained. She mentally contacted Aizawa-sensei again, and was assured that reinforcements were only minutes away. "We've got a few minutes before more heroes arrive to help." Izuka said, looking back to the battlefield. Endeavor was, to put it lightly, making both Gammon and Overhaul into his bitches. Both Villains were badly burned and their clothes had been mostly reduced to ash and scraps of singed cloth. "Endeavor is terrifying when he's mad..."

Shoto nodded, "I've never seen him so angry. Not even when I got my scar." he said.

"Well, a Villain had just put two holes into his son, of course he'd be angry." Izuka smiled.

Shoto made a non-committal noise, "Do you think he's being honest? Do you think he's changed?" he asked.

Izuka thought for a few seconds, "He's still a strict, mean-spirited jerk… but he doesn't seem as bad as before. He's lost a bit of his bite. I think… I think he's really trying." she said, a comforting smile on her face.

The two teens (and their small charge) returned to watching the battle, just in time to see the tides change once more. Overhaul was panting hard; the only reason he was still conscious was because Endeavor was too angry to let them off without a major beating and even at his worst, he wouldn't beat on an unconscious foe. Realising that the chances of reclaiming Eri, let alone capturing Phoenix were now nil, the Yakuza boss decided to play his trump card. He pulled a gun from what remained of his pants and pointed it at Endeavor.

The Flame Hero scoffed; "Don't be a fool. At my current temperature, your bullet will melt before it gets near me!"

Overhaul scowled; that was certainly true… even with several metres between them, he felt the metal of the gun heating up to the point that it hurt to hold it. "This bullet isn't for you." Overhaul declared, "It's for him." he said, pointing the gun at Gammon. Before Endeavor could question him, the gun went off and Gammon stumbled, falling to one knee.

"You'd shoot your own comrade? Traitors amongst traitors…" the Hero spat.

Overhaul smirked beneath his mask, which had so far been left mostly intact, "That bullet was not simply lead… it's one of the Eight Precepts' specialities; a capsule loaded with the maximum dosage of Trigger!"

Endeavor's eyes widened; Trigger was the drug that had caused them so much trouble a few years ago! It was a chemical that could temporarily boost a person's quirk to insane levels of power. It even had the side-effect of causing the genetic mutations caused by a parent's mutation quirk to mutate as well, so even though Gammon's pig-like face was the result of a parent's quirk and not his own, it was boosted and changed along with the rest of him.

Gammon's ponytail grew longer and seemed to bond with his spine, becoming a line of long bristles that continued past his tail bone, becoming an actual tail. His hind feet became hooves and his lower body was covered in black fur, making him resemble a boar from the waist down. His upper body became much more muscular and his face ceased to be human at all, becoming a full representation of a boar head, complete with monstrously huge tusks. Shockingly, Gammon's eyes had combined into a single, massive eye in the centre of his face.

"GRAAAH!" The monster roared, charging at Endeavor like a gorilla, using his oversized arms to pull his massive body towards the hero. Endeavor scowled and cocked his fist.

"Flash-fire Fist: Jet burn!" he shouted, blasting flames from the back of his hand to propel his fist right into the face of the charging beast. The Bestial Gammon screamed in pain, but was not stopped, continuing it's charge and sending Endeavor flying, shooting him right out of the ring of ice that Shoto had created to keep Civilians out.

With Endeavor knocked who knows how far away, Overhaul smirked. "My Trump Card was more effective that I'd hoped. Gammon, kill the Ice Brat and capture the girls. We need them both alive."

"NO!" Gammon roared, his voice much deeper and distorted than before, "I KILL ALL!"

Overhaul scowled; the overdose of Trigger had made the Fallen Hero completely mad with blood lust. It was expected, but disappointing all the same. The Villain prepared to reconstruct Gammon, when suddenly, the pig monster charged at the building that Shoto and Izuka were standing on, smashing into it with such force, the whole building began to topple, sending the teens and their young charge falling to the ground. Eri screamed in terror as Izuka cradled the small girl against her body, preparing her wings to save them all, as Shoto had shot himself towards the girls to create an ice shield around them, hoping to protect them from follow up attacks. Through the ice, they saw a massive amount of energy concentrating itself in Gammon's single eye, preparing to blast the trio.

Izuka cried out, "Shoto! Get away!"

Shoto's eyes widened; the heat beam being prepared would blast all three of them out of the sky and while Izuka would be alright, the sheer size of the attack meant she couldn't protect both Eri and Shoto. If Shoto didn't escape; he'd be atomised. Unfortunately, he realised this too late and Gammon shot the beam directly at them as Overhaul yelled for him to stop.

Shoto saw his life flash before his eyes as the beam of intense heat shot towards him, too fast for him to dodge. For a moment, it looked like the end and the boy closed his eyes. A guttural scream of pain echoed out across the city. The beam had found it's mark… though not in the younger Todoroki. No, it had struck the elder.

"DAD!" Shoto cried, terrified as he saw his father fall to the blow.

Endeavor, with all the desperation of a father racing to save his son, had pushed his quirk far beyond his safe limits and rocketed himself back into the fight, directly between Gammon and Shoto, taking the intense heat beam. Thanks to Trigger, Gammon's Heat Vision was strengthened to the point it could just barely overpower Endeavor's fire resistance, so it carved a long, inch wide line all the way from Endeavor's hip, up his abdomen and chest, to his face, slicing up and destroying his left eye. The intense, searing pain made the Pro Hero scream, before falling to the ground, losing the strength to keep himself flying.

Thinking fast, Izuka grabbed Shoto and dived after Endeavor, catching him a few feet above the ground. She landed hard, Shoto in her left arm, Endeavor in her right and Eri gripped in her teeth by the back of her dress. Gammon began to charge another beam, but this time, the monster was smashed away by a massive pillar of earth, created by a fuming Overhaul.

Shoto growled furiously; "What the hell is going on!? Are those two on the same side or not!?" he roared as Izuka began working to heal Endeavor.

Overhaul scowled angrily at Gammon, who was trying to get back to his feet with his new, unnatural body. "Damned fool! If that attack had hit Eri, she'd have died and then all our work would have been destroyed!" he said, kicking the downed beast a few times, more to satisfy his own anger than to do damage, since Gammon's tough hide barely registered the blows. Still, the Villain's distraction worked in Izuka's favour as she frantically healed Endeavor while Shoto kept his eyes on the enemy.

Eri looked at the blood and burns on Endeavor with horror, "Is he going to be okay?" she whispered.

"Don't worry about me..." Endeavor coughed, "I'm an adult and a Hero. I can take a lot." he said.

Izuka's face fell, "Endeavor, sir, I can't fully heal this… there isn't enough blood left in you after I healed you earlier, and Shoto can't afford to lose more after his own injury. I'd use my own, but even if I push past safe limits…"

Endeavor frowned, shakily sitting up, "Can you stop the bleeding and restore my eye?"

"I think so. The eye will be very sensitive for a while, but you'll get full use from it after a few hours." Izuka replied, pushing her healing flames into Endeavor's eye socket. It only took a short time to restore the lost eye, and then drag her flames down the long wound. The beam had cut into his body by a couple of inches, doing some serious damage, but thanks to Endeavor's bulk and fire resistance, he had evaded any mortal damage. Izuka focused solely on repairing the damaged blood vessels, then roughly patched the wound, leaving the whole wound as a massive scar from his hairline, all the way down his left side to his hip. It was an ugly mess of scar tissue, but it was all Izuka could do at the moment.

With a groan of pain, Endeavor got to his feet, helped by Shoto. Izuka sighed with relief that the Hero could still move, gently picking up and holding Eri to her chest. "We need a plan, while they're distracted." she said.

Endeavor nodded; "I can still move, but only barely. If I use my quirk much more, I'll overheat. My fire can't hurt me, but if I get too hot, my body begins to fail."

"I'm fine to fight for a while. I haven't used Plus Ultra, and you healed my only injury, so I'm fine." Shoto added.

"I'm still at almost perfect condition, though I have used a bit of blood to heal you both, so I'm not running at full power. Plus, I overused my strength quirk a little while ago and tore up the muscles in my legs..." Izuka confessed, pointing to her legs. Her costume covered all the skin, but they were shaking violently, something the Todorokis' had previously attributed to her nerves.

Endeavor scowled; "I think I can take Gammon down in one shot, but I need your help, Shoto. Seraphim, I need you to keep Overhaul away. Think you can manage another Erasure?"

Izuka nodded, rubbing her thumb against her eyelids, "My eyes took a battering and I rushed the healing, so they aren't 100%, but I can probably keep it up for maybe ten seconds."

Endeavor smirked; "Good. Then here's the plan..." Izuka and Shoto listened intently as the Hero explained their strategy, managing to finish just before Overhaul took notice of them again.

"You know, I really hate all you damned heroes. You and your quirks are a disease, one that I will cure." Overhaul put a hand against Gammon's monstrous maw and placed the other against his own face; "I'll become something none of you can fight; I'll be the Antibody that cures your disease!" he cried, then to the shock of the heroes, he disassembled Gammon and himself, reassembling their two seperate bodies into one.

" **Endeavor… you truly were stronger than me, I can't deny that…. But it'll all be for naught.** "

The new form emerged; it was a monstrous centaur-like beast. The lower body was an entire boar, with the torso of a gorilla in place of a head, and the massive head of a boar on top. The massive boar face had no nose, instead having just a hole like the nose hole of a human skull, and in that hole was the upper body of Kai Chisaki, his arms and face covered in thick black veins and his hands covered in claws. His mask had split open so he looked like he was perpetually roaring and he now held Gammon's previously discarded spear and was wearing portions of the Traitor Hero's black plate armour.

The Monstrous Overhaul looked down on the Heroes; " **Now, you'll be returning Eri to me and surrendering Phoenix!** "

Endeavor gaped at the creature, "What the hell!? He's become a monster! Damn it, our plan won't work if those two are fused like that!"

Izuka frowned. Shoto and Endeavor needed to conserve their power for the final blow against Gammon… that meant that for their plan to work, she'd need to seperate the villains somehow. "Celsius, Endeavor; watch Eri for me. I'll do what I can to pull those two apart!" she declared, gently pushing Eri into Shoto's arms and activating Angelic Aura, coating her body in flames and the power of One for All. Neither Shoto or Endeavor were in a position to argue, so they were forced to watch in silence as Izuka flew at the enemy.

The Monster Overhaul touched a portion of the destroyed building and reconstructed it into a giant spear that he could wield with his massive body. He swung it, aiming to knock Izuka out of the sky, but the young Hero instead ploughed through it with her strength, smashing the spear to pieces mid-swing with a single punch. Unfortunately, the moment she shattered it, Chisaki's quirk activated and all the shards turned into stone spikes that drove themselves at Izuka. With a scream of pain, Izuka felt both her legs and her right arm be impaled by the spikes, though thankfully, she was able to evade lethal damage. Izuka dropped to the ground, using her flames to cushion her fall. She tried to work the spikes out of her wounds so she could stop the bleeding, but she only managed to free her arm before one of the giant hooves of Overhaul's new body tried to slam down on her, forcing her to roll away and fly to get some distance. The only problem was that she couldn't fly too far, or her fellow Heroes and Eri would become Chisaki's target, so she couldn't use her preferred strategy of getting distance and attacking at range. Instead, Izuka flared her wings outward and flew up at Chisaki's real body at the core of the monster, aiming to slash him with her wings.

"Heaven's Blade!" Izuka cried, slashing forward with her wings. At the last moment, Chisaki forced the monster's head to look down, so his main body was safe, resulting in Izuka's attack instead carving an x-shaped burn into the monster's forehead. The beast roared in pain and swung a massive fist at her. Izuka tried to dodge, but because Heaven's Blade forced her wings into a certain position, it meant she couldn't dodge straight after using it, so she was smashed out of the sky, smacking into the ground with enough force to leave a crater. It was only One for All and her flames that stopped Izuka from dying, but she still screamed in pain as she felt her ribs and previously uninjured arm break from the impact. While she was momentarily disabled, Chisaki forced his massive body to rear up, and slammed a hoof down on the girl's legs, crushing them as Izuka screamed with unbearable pain.

"No!" Eri screamed, struggling free from Shoto's grasp, "Please stop!"

Overhaul looked down at the girl, " **This is what you wanted, isn't it? You ran away and dragged these three heroes into our business. Now look what you've done… Endeavor is forever scarred, the boy was almost killed and this girl has had all her limbs crushed to powder. This is what happens when people get involved with a cursed child like you...** "

"N-No! This isn't what I wanted…!" Eri weakly argued, running forward. Shoto tried to run after her, but the ground between him and Eri became a wall of spikes, stopping him from reaching her.

" **Do you think these heroes can win?** " Overhaul continued…

"No..." Eri confessed, her face the picture of heartbreak.

" **Then what should you do?** "

"Come back… and in exchange, you'll fix everything."

Overhaul grinned maliciously; " **Indeed. Rather than letting others get hurt for your sake, it's better if only you are hurt.** **Do you understand now, how cruel you are Eri? Forcing your pain on others… When will you finally realise…?** " Overhaul's expression became demonic, " **YOU ARE UNWANTED!** "

With that, the beast reached down and gripped Eri in one of it's monstrous arms, squeezing just tightly enough for it to hurt, making Eri squeak and cry silently. She'd long ago learnt not to cry out loud.

"LIKE HELL!" Izuka suddenly roared. "ANGELIC AURA: 100%!" the Angelic Hero forced her powers to their maximum, overpowering her sense of pain and blasting the Hoof holding her with a blazing punch. The limb recoiled, making Chisaki groan in pain, but Izuka wasn't done. Despite her broken arms and shattered legs, she flew at full speed at the arm holding Eri, her wings fully spread. "HEAVEN'S BLADE: TEMPERANCE!" she screamed, flying around the gargantuan wrist, slicing through the flesh, muscle and bone with her flaming wings. Chisaki screamed in pain as the hand holding Eri was severed at the wrist. As it fell, Izuka pried open the fingers and grabbed Eri, flying away before the hand hit the ground.

Eri gasped, realising that Izuka had twisted her broken arms so she could hold her comfortably. "N-No… you're hurt!"

Izuka smiled despite her pain; "So are you… Don't worry; I'm a Hero, so I'll protect you."

Overhaul growled and swung at her with his intact arm, which she dodged easily with her wings. " **Foolish girl… you don't even know what she is! Eri is a Cursed Person; her quirk rewinds a person! She killed her own father and was abandoned by her mother. Only I can control her power! She's nothing but a freak and has no hope to live freely!** "

Izuka growled and conjured numerous spheres of fire and rained them down on Overhaul "OPHANIM SQUALL!" she yelled as Overhaul screeched. "A power that rewinds a person huh?" she muttered, making Eri grimace.

This was when it would happen… this would be when Eri was abandoned again. No Hero would want to save a monster like her…

"A quirk like that sounds like a perfect quirk for a Doctor, or a Hero!" Izuka declared, smiling down at Eri, "Eri, no matter what that monster says, I know you can be happy! You will be free from now on and live a long and happy life, I'll ensure it! Even if I have to die 1000 times, I won't give up on you! So please..." Izuka gently kissed Eri's cheek; "Don't give up on yourself either."

Eri began to cry, unable to truly understand the feelings welling inside her; "B-But why? Why go so far for me?"

Izuka smiled softly; "A long time ago, I was like you. I was small and weak and held captive by people who wanted to use me for bad things. It hurt terribly and I almost gave up hope… but then a Hero came to save me. That's what I want more than anything… to be a Hero that saves others! So no matter how often I die, or how much it hurts, I will always get up and always keep going, so I can win and save everyone. If I can save you… then all the pain will be worth it!"

"C-Can I be like you?" Eri whispered. To Eri, Izuka looked so strong and powerful, fighting with determination even though her limbs had been broken. "C-Can I be a hero too? With a Cursed Quirk?"

"I don't know about a Cursed Quirk..." Izuka grinned, "But a kind little girl with the will and a gentle power like yours, then I bet you'll become an amazing hero!"

Eri felt something deep within her heart. A sudden shift, like her whole body had been put together wrong and suddenly clicked back into place. New emotions, foreign to Eri but ever so intoxicating began to well up within her; Determination, Joy… and Hope! Her little horn began to glow and spark with energy, and Izuka smiled, gently kissing it.

"Eri… what do you want to do right now?" Izuka asked with a grin.

"I...I…!" the little girl looked down, seeing Overhaul had shrugged off the last of the fireballs. He was reaching up to attack again. "I WANT TO BE FREE!"

Her horn released a huge wave of energy that engulfed Izuka, and forced Chisaki to recoil, lest he be caught in it. The light began to die down after a moment and the Villain growled as he saw what emerged from it. Izuka was in perfect condition; her arms and legs repaired and her blood replenished. Even the light damage done to her costume was undone. Eri was tied to Izuka's back by a small collection of bandages that had once been wrapped around Eri's arms and legs, but thanks to Izuka's healing flames, she was also fully healed. Izuka was using her wings, having replaced their normal flames with healing ones, so Eri could be on her back without hurting her.

"Do you see now, Eri?" Izuka smiled; "You're quirk is beautiful… thanks to it, I'm healthy again and can keep fighting!" she said. Eri's horn was still glowing and letting off the occasional spark, but nothing else was happening.

Overhaul roared up at them; " **You Fool! Her power will rewind you out of existence! Only disassembly can stop her now!** "

Izuka glared, "What an idiot… there's no danger here." she said, reaching up to pat Eri's head. "Eri's quirk rewinds, but that's perfect for me. My quirk is Evolution; a process that usually takes millions of years over countless generations! But my quirk fast forwards it! I felt it right away; as soon as Eri's quirk re-winded my body to perfect condition, my own quirk started up to cancel out the unwanted rewinds! Each change her quirk makes to me, my own quirk counters instantly!"

Overhaul looked shocked and Eri gasped, her big eyes looking over Izuka's shoulder at the older girl's face; "You hear that Eri?" Izuka grinned, "That means no matter what, I can stay with you and help you control your power."

" **You!? YOU FUCKING PHOENIX! I'LL GRIND YOU TO ASH!** " Overhaul roared, launching himself into the air.

Izuka looked at him coldly; "You must not have heard me before..." she cocked her fist back and allowed One for All to flow at 100%, since Eri was keeping her in perfect condition. "I AM THE ETERNAL HERO: SERAPHIM!" she threw her punch, smashing into the giant pig faced beast and knocking him hundreds of feet into the sky with the force of her uppercut. "100% HEAVENWARD SMASH!"

The villain rocketed to the sky, injured and dazed, but still fused. Izuka tutted, then suddenly thought of something; "Eri, do you think you could reverse their fusion?"

Eri gulped; "I-I don't know, but I'll try!"

Izuka smiled; "Good girl! Try to focus your quirk into this." she said, producing a ball of flame in her hand. Eri focused hard; she couldn't turn off her quirk by herself or regulate it's power, but if she tried her best, she could sort of focus it and change how her rewind worked. So Eri prayed and tried her best, wishing her quirk into the shape she wanted it. She wanted Chisaki and the Pig Man to seperate! She wanted her quirk to do what Izuka needed it to! Izuka was doing all this to save her, so Eri wanted to help! For a few instants, the crackling energy emitting from Eri's horn began to intensify, then focus into a single stream of energy that arced from the horn to the ball of fire in Izuka's hand. As long as Eri kept up her focus, her quirk infused the flame with her rewind, turning it gold.

"Good girl! Hold on tight Eri, we're finishing this!" Izuka smiled, then flew up high, aiming her flaming hand at the falling behemoth. Focusing her wings into her fist and then opening her hand, Izuka thrust her palm forward. "This is Eri's and my power! HOLY PALM: KINDNESS!" Izuka roared, slamming her palm into the chest of the beast. The flames exploded outwards and strange golden cracks began to radiate out from Izuka's point of impact, until Chisaki's mutated body was covered in them. In an explosion of gore, the creature snapped back to it's two original forms; Chisaki (albeit a battered version) and Gammon, still in his Trigger Overdose form. Izuka shot them both with blasts of fire, ensuring that while they were crisped up nicely, they wouldn't die when they hit the ground thanks to the cushioning, semi-solid form of her flames.

Sure enough, both Villains hit the ground hard, but thanks to Izuka's odd flames, they bounced and groaned. Gammon got to his feet almost immediately, the stress of the fusion and de-fusion rendering what left of his mind useless. Spotting Endeavor, Gammon roared like an animal and charged him.

"Endeavor, Celsius; he's all yours!" Izuka called.

"Got it!" Endeavor smirked, kneeling down so Celsius could hop on his back. "Are you ready Shoto?"

"I am. Let's fry this pig." Shoto declared. "Plus Ultra Mode!" he cried.

Shoto coated Endeavor in his Icy Blue Flames, cooling the man without extinguishing his Hell Flame, then coating Endeavor in Ice Armour that wasn't melted by the cool flame. By the time he was done, Endeavor looked like a Knight made of Ice, the joints in his armour billowing pale blue fire. Endeavor grinned as he clenched his fist; "So this is what this Plus Ultra Mode can do… amazing."

He turned his eyes on the charging Gammon and pulled back both fists; "You know, they say the Ninth Circle of Hell is a frozen wasteland reserved for traitors. Let me give you a little taste!" Endeavor smashed both his fists into Gammon's face with as much force as he could; "Todoroki Special: NINTH CIRCLE HELL FLAME!" he roared. His frozen fists hit Gammon hard, then the ice cracked and the monster was bathed in a storm of icy blue flames and burning red flames. The second Gammon recoiled, Shoto stood on his father's shoulders and shot his own flames down at the villain; Cold Fire from his right and Hot Fire from his left. Finally, the attack ended and Gammon was left badly burnt within a pillar of ice.

From where he had landed, Overhaul lay dumbfounded and defeated. His body hurt so much that he could barely move, and the damned Phoenix, who he had hoped to capture, had defeated him and left him unable to move. The Phoenix, now calling herself an Angel, had taken Eri from him and used her accursed powers to crush him. Now she stood there, victoriously watching the defeat of Gammon, Eri cradled in her arms despite her quirk being active. Overhaul cursed himself; if only he'd brought that damned Quirk Destroying Drug! He'd have killed Phoenix and taken Eri back easily!

"No..." he groaned, getting to his feet, "I won't lose so easily!" he slapped his hands against himself, destroying and rebuilding his own body to repair the damage, then ran at the two distracted girls, "I'LL TEAR YOU TO PIECES AND REMAKE YOU A THOUSAND TIMES!" he roared.

Izuka looked at him and smirked; "Too late."

Overhaul screamed with fury and grabbed the confident girl's forearm, only to discover his quirk wasn't working! What's more, the Girl's eyes weren't glowing or bleeding, meaning this wasn't her doing. "We win. Why? Because they're here!" Izuka smirked.

Overhaul gaped at her, before he was suddenly smashed into the ground. His last sight before unconsciousness took him was Izuka smiling down at him, hugging Eri gently. "G-God damn heroes..." he groaned, passing out.

Izuka chuckled and looked up at the ones who had arrived. Eraserhead, standing on the shoulders of All-Might and held there by his capture weapon. "Hey Eraserhead, All-Might." she smiled, sticking to Hero names for now; "Thanks for the assist."

All-Might resisted the urge to hug his daughter as Eraserhead hopped off. "Good work, Seraphim! The Police and Ambulance is just outside the Ice Wall. Celsius, could you remove it?"

Shoto, a little winded from his Plus Ultra Mode, simply nodded. From there, a lot happened. Endeavor was bundled into an Ambulance while Chisaki and Gammon (who finally returned to normal after the Trigger wore off) were bound up tightly with Quirk-Nullifying restraints and loaded into Police Transports. Aizawa-sensei and All-Might congratulated Izuka and Shoto on doing so well in their first real case, and rescuing poor Eri.

Since no one could get close to Eri and Izuka with the former's quirk active, Izuka walked over to a secluded part of the battle zone so no one would be hurt, then gently sat down and positioned Eri onto her knee. "Eri, do you think you can turn your quirk off?"

"N-No! I don't know how! Before, C-C- the Bad Man, he broke me apart and put me together again to stop it." Eri panicked.

"Hush, little one." Izuka soothed her, petting her hair, "If it comes down to it, I can use Eraserhead's quirk to forcibly turn it off, but at the moment, I want you to try your best to turn it off by yourself. There's no danger to me, and everyone else will keep their distance, so take your time."

Eri nodded shakily and clenched her eyes shut, trying desperately to stem the tide of power coming from her horn. Izuka noticed that the power wavered a bit, but ultimately remained active. "Hmm… how does it actually feel to you?" Izuka asked.

"M-My horn feels funny. It gets bigger when I use my cur-I mean, my quirk." Eri explained, and sure enough, her horn had grown. When Izuka first saw it, was about the length of her pinky finger, but now it was the length of her middle finger, and had grown thicker at the same rate too.

"Well I suppose that means your quirk is produced from this appendage, and the size effects the output..." Izuka gently stroked the horn, making Eri giggle. "Oh, so you can feel it?"

Eri giggled, making Izuka smile, "I can! It tickles!"

Izuka nodded and rubbed her chin in concentration; "Try this; imagine your horn as an open hand, then try to clench it into a fist."

Eri closed her eyes and did what she was told. She focused her feelings on her horn and tried to imagine it as a hand in her mind's eye, then closed it into a tight fist. Just as Eri hoped, she felt the tide of power slowing, until it finally stopped. Each finger she closed in her mind made her horn shrink a bit, so when she closed them all, her horn shrunk to the size of a tiny bump and the power stopped altogether. It left the little girl feeling a bit sluggish, but it worked! "I did it!" Eri cried happily, "I stopped it!"

"Well done! I'm proud of you!" Izuka said happily.

Eri beamed at the praise and hugged Izuka, "Um, you said your name is Sera- uh…?"

"Seraphim. That's my Hero Name. My real name is Izuka Midoriya." the older girl smiled.

"C-Can I call you Izuka?"

Izuka grinned and picked up the little girl, standing up and joyfully spinning her around; "Of course! Now let's get you looked at by some nice Doctors. I healed you up, but I'd like to be sure."

"Will you stay with me?" Eri asked shyly.

"Of course, I'll even hold your hand the whole time."

Eri smiled and snuggled closer to Izuka, hugging her tightly. "Thank you… you're my angel."

Izuka blinked back proud tears and both Aizawa-sensei and her Papa, who had watched the whole affair, grinned at the adorable display.

The Police began the clean up with some Support Heroes while Endeavor, Izuka, Eri, Shoto, Aizawa and Toshinori went to the Hospital to ensure everyone involved was fine. In the ambulance, Izuka relaxed and allowed her body to begin winding down. It had been hard, but she was happy!

Seraphim's First Official Act of Heroism: Save Eri and Defeat Overhaul ended in success!


	7. Sisters In Spirit

I've had something come up that has made it so i have very limited time at the moment, but I'll try to reply when i can!  
There is a good chance I'll have to go on a Hiatus somewhat soon, but I can guarantee that it won't be until the end of the current arc!

* * *

 **The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 7: Sisters in Spirit**

Izuka sat quietly in a Hospital Room, Eri napping on her lap. The two had been put here almost as soon as they arrived at the hospital, as the Doctors and Nurses were more concerned by Endeavor, who was badly hurt. Shoto had been marched off to another room for an examination, and both All-Might and Eraserhead were contacting U.A, arranging to have Principal Nezu and Izuka's mother come by the hospital to deal with the aftermath of the battle with Overhaul. Even Agent Nest was called, since he dealt with quirks that had to be carefully watched in case they were misused, and a quirk like Eri's definitely fell into that category.

When Izuka and Eri had arrived at the hospital, some Nurses had tried to take Eri away to be examined, but the girl screamed and recoiled, her horn beginning to grow again to signal her quirk was near to activating. Izuka quickly took control of the situation and gently calmed the child, and the Hospital Staff decided that it was best to leave the vulnerable girl in the hands of the only person she seemed to trust, at least for now.

After resting for an hour, letting the stress of the battle wash away, Izuka looked up to see that Shoto, her Parents, Agent Nest, Aizawa-sensei, Principal Nezu and Endeavor had all come in (though Endeavor was actually confined to one of the beds in the room, much to his chagrin). Eri woke up at the noise, only to frown at the sudden appearance of the large group of people, resulting in her pushing herself further into Izuka's embrace, hiding her face. Inko stepped forward slowly and sat beside her daughter on the bed, smiling softly.

"Hello Dear. I see you've got a new fan? What's your name, Sweetheart?" Inko asked gently.

Eri didn't answer, but did peek out a bit to see this new woman. To Eri, Inko looked like an older Izuka with straight hair instead of curly. She was a bit taller, and her hair was in a sort of half bun instead of a ponytail, but there was no mistaking it… Inko and Izuka shared the same kind eyes and gentle expressions. Eri looked up at Izuka questioningly, and Izuka smiled.

"This is my Mom, Inko Midoriya." Izuka answered the unasked question.

"Izuka's Mama?" Eri whispered, looking back at the woman with newfound bravery. If this lady was the Mama of Eri's Guardian Angel, then she had to be good! She'd be an angel too. "Um… I'm Eri." she introduced as politely as she could.

Inko and Izuka both felt their hearts clench at the cute girl, and from his spot, Toshinori gripped his chest… seeing the two most adorable and precious ladies in his life with this white haired cutie was too much for his old heart. Inko recovered first and smiled brilliantly at the child.

"It's very nice to meet you, Eri! I hear you've had a hard time of it, so I'm glad my Izuka was able to help you." Inko smiled, slowly reaching out a hand to pat Eri's head. The little girl flinched, but Izuka's own hand never left Eri's back, where it was slowly rubbing calming circles, so Eri was able to relax a bit, allowing Inko to continue her movement. Inko's hand gently patted the girl's head, then when it became clear she was growing more comfortable, she began stroking her hair, lightly brushing it with her fingers. Whatever could be said about the Villains that had held her captive, they had at least kept Eri clean. Thanks to Inko's ministrations and gentle humming, Eri warmed to her, slowly shifting off of Izuka's lap so she was sat comfortably half on her lap and half on Inko's.

It was clear that Eri had never known a friendly or affectionate touch, and now that both Izuka and Inko were comforting her, Eri felt warm and cozy, relaxing into them both. Once it was clear she was calm, Nest looked to Toshinori and gestured for the Number One Hero to join as well.

Toshinori was mildly confused, but he wasn't one to object to such a thing, so he calmly approached and knelt down in front of the three ladies. "Hello, Young Eri. My name is Toshinori. I'm Izuka's Papa and Inko's Husband."

"T-Toshina-Toshi-" Eri struggled to pronounce his name, becoming more embarrassed with each failed attempt to the point she began blushing furiously and looking close to tears.

Toshinori was used to crying thanks to spending so much time with the Midoriya Women, so he had become an expert in stopping it before it got too far. "Now now, no need to get upset. You are still small and young, so there is no shame in little mistakes. If it's easier, then just call me Toshi, okay?"

"Toshi." Eri sniffled, regaining some composure.

"Well done! That's right." Toshinori grinned.

Eri smiled a bit and rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry… crying is bad."

"Crying is fine, Eri." Izuka said gently, "It just means you have a lot of emotions welling up inside, and you need to let it out. I cry all the time, in fact I probably cry too much!" she giggled.

Eri looked up at Izuka with wide eyes, as if not comprehending how a girl like Izuka could ever cry. Who was able to hurt her? Eri didn't know why, but for some reason, the idea of someone hurting Izuka made her horn twinge angrily.

Toshi grinned and risked taking one of Eri's hands in his own, holding it gently and ensuring Eri could pull away if she wished. "You see? Even a big girl like my Izuka cries sometimes. Even I cry sometimes. Whoever told you it was bad was likely not a very nice person."

Eri's eyes darkened, likely as she was thinking of her captors. Since Eri was fairly calm and comfortable, Nezu and Nest slowly approached and sat on the bed beside Eri's, across from Endeavor's. "Eri? My name is Nest and I work for the Government. If you're feeling up to it, I need to ask you some questions."

The little girl looked at the man, but didn't seem perturbed or upset. She just wiggled closer to Inko and Izuka whilst gripping Toshi's hand a bit more tightly. "I-I'll try."

"Good girl. If you don't know the answer or don't want to say, then that's okay, just tell the truth. The information you tell us could help us punish the bad people who hurt you, and perhaps help the other people they hurt. Understand?" Nest asked gently.

"Yes sir." Eri nodded, a bit more confidently now that she had three people ensuring her safety.

"Excellent. Now, let's begin..."

The questioning took quite a while. Eri was still shy and often had trouble understanding some words, or was slow to reply as she tried her best to come up with the answers. The Heroes learned that Eri had been kept in a place that her captors only ever referred to as "Home", and she had only seen small parts of it; her room and "The Bad Place". Eri refused to go into much detail about what happened in that room, though the Heroes were able to glean that it was painful and terrifying but thankfully seemed to be something different from straight up beatings or sexual abuse. Those questions had made Izuka and Shoto blush, since they were both quite innocent in the face of such things, but Eri, with all the obliviousness of a small child answered them frankly. They did learn that Overhaul had frequently destroyed and rebuilt her with his quirk, which enraged Izuka to the point that little flames began burning on the ends of her hair, something she hadn't done in a long time. As far as the Heroes could tell, Overhaul had been taking blood, skin and small amounts of flesh from Eri, then rebuilding her when her quirk went out of control or she lost too much stamina and came close to dying. The numerous scars on her arms and legs were testament to this; a patchwork of damaged tissue that told a horrid story with every slash and cut. Izuka had healed the open wounds, but the old scars couldn't be healed normally without being reopened.

The last thing they learned from Eri concerned the adults more than the teenagers; Eri had run away, slipping out of the compound she was kept in and running chaotically, so she had no real way of leading them back to the enemy base, but it was the reason she ran that scared them. She had overheard that the weapon the Villains were making from her was finished, and that it could inflict Eri's curse (Quirk, Izuka had gently corrected) on others and steal their quirks. When Eri learned this, her captors also said she would be getting another girl as a playmate, but Eri had been so scared that the Villains had what they wanted from her that they would do something even more awful to her, or kill her.

Everyone but Izuka seemed to realise that this meant Overhaul and the Eight Precepts had intended to capture Izuka, likely to erase her quirk for good and kill her, or trade her to the League of Villains. Izuka was too focused on Eri herself, ensuring the girl remained calm and at peace, hugging her and softly kissing her hair whenever the child became emotional. The others, seeing that Izuka wasn't concerned for herself, decided to shelve that particular discussion for later, returning to focusing on Eri.

"Well done, Eri. Your answers have helped a lot. With them, we can track down Overhaul's followers and stop them. Thanks to you, the girl that they wanted to take will be warned." Nest smiled kindly.

The Agent then excused himself to report the information to his superiors and the police, allowing the Doctors to come in. There was a nice lady doctor, who specialised in helping vulnerable children as well as a pair of nurses, both men; one of which was a fairly normal looking Japanese man and the other was a massively buff man with a teddy bear head covering his own face (apparently because he loved kids, but his face was scary to them).

"Hello everyone. My name is Doctor Shirotabi, and these are Nurses Akajiki and Gorosuke. We need to do the medical examination for Little Eri." the Doctor said pleasantly.

Eri looked at them fearfully, "W-What are you going to do to me?"

"It's alright Little One, we won't hurt you. We need to check your height and weight, the condition of your scars, then a little exam where we look at your throat, ears and eyes to make sure they're all working okay. We'll also need to take a bit of blood, but we can do that now." Doctor Shirotabi explained, collecting a small syringe from the larger Nurse Gorosuke.

The moment she saw the needle, Eri screamed and scrambled away, running from the Yagi-Midoriyas and trying to flee the room. Since the smaller nurse was blocking the way and every other hiding place was surrounded by the various adults in the room, Eri was cornered and began to shake, petrified. "P-Please! I-I'll be good, don't! Please!" she whimpered.

"Eri..." Izuka said sadly, picking the terrified girl up again. Eri held Izuka as tightly as her little arms could manage and buried her face into the crook of Izuka's neck.

"P-Please Izuka, don't let them!" Eri begged.

"Eri, it's okay. They don't want to hurt you or anyone else." Izuka said calmly, comforting Eri but keeping the Doctor away regardless.

"But then why do they have that?" Eri shakily pointed at the needle.

"Doctors use it to gently take blood, so they can test it and see who you are and if you're healthy. They also use them to inject medicine to make people better, even special medicines that take away pain." Izuka explained.

"I don't like it… they hurt. They sting." Eri meekly whispered, on the verge of tears.

Izuka sighed sympathetically; most kids hated needles, but for someone in Eri's situation, they were much more scary and sinister. Izuka always hated them too, especially after All for One…

Suddenly, inspiration hit. "Doctor Shirotabi, do you have a spare syringe?"

"Of course. We have three or four in the standard examination kit. We have Numbing Wipes too." the Doctor explained.

"Then please, take some blood from me. Maybe if Eri sees me do it, she'll realise it's okay." Izuka smiled, making Eri look at her with wonder.

Handing the little girl to her mother, Izuka went and sat back on the bed and held out her arm, removing her red glove first so her arm was exposed. Doctor Shirotabi gently wiped the area with a numbing wipe and cotton swab, then put the needle into Izuka's arm, drawing the amount of blood needed and then pulled the needle out, swabbing the area again and then bandaging it with a large band-aid. Izuka removed this and healed the area herself and throughout the procedure, the Doctor explained to Eri exactly what she was doing and Izuka kept her friendly smile on, showing Eri that it was okay. When it was all done, Izuka stroked Eri's cheek; "See, it's all okay. It looks scary, but those wipes they use make the area numb, so you don't even feel the needle. It doesn't hurt at all."

Eri looked at Izuka with amazement. She was surprised that someone would take a shot like that with no problem, but then she remembered that this was Izuka, Eri's Angel… she was much stronger than Eri, but for some reason, she seemed to think Eri was strong too. The little girl didn't want to disappoint her saviour, but she was still scared. "C-Can you do it? Can you give me the shot?"

Izuka smiled and nodded, producing a small card and showing it to the doctor. It was a B-Grade First Aid License that she'd earned while apprenticed under Recovery Girl. It allowed her to legally perform Medical Procedures ranked B and below, meaning that while she couldn't be a Doctor (they needed an S-Grade) or a Nurse (they needed an A-Grade), she could perform emergency surgery and give Medical Examinations if truly needed (though for Izuka, this mostly just meant using her Healing Quirk). It was also more than enough to administer a Blood Test and standard Medical Examination, and Izuka had taken to keeping it with her at all times, especially after the Ingenium Incident. The Doctor grinned at seeing it and showed it to the Nurses, who looked impressed.

"You Healer Quirk types are pretty lucky! Feel free to give Eri the entire examination, with my supervision of course." Shirotabi smiled, handing it back.

Izuka thanked her and politely took the Exam kit from Nurse Akajiki, showing it to Eri and explaining what each thing was. She bared Eri's arm and wiped it and prepared the needle, then her expression became curious.

"Hey Eri, I was wondering; can you see your own horn?" Izuka asked.

Eri blinked, the looked up, trying to see the little appendage, which resulted in her tilting her head back and bumping it against Inko's chest. Inko smirked and blew a raspberry on Eri's forehead, making the little girl giggle and laugh, then look back to Izuka; "I can't see it. It's too little now." she said.

"Aw, that's a shame. It looks cute on you!" Izuka grinned.

Eri blushed at the compliment, then swallowed thickly; "I'm ready for the shot..."

Izuka smirked; "Oh, I did that already." she said, holding up the syringe, which was full of Eri's blood. Eri's eyes widened and she looked at her arm to see a little pink band-aid on the inside of her elbow. The band-aid wasn't actually necessary, since Izuka healed the needle mark, but it looked cute and would confirm to Eri that the procedure had been performed.

"How did you do that?" Eri asked, eyes sparkling with wonder.

Izuka handed the filled syringe to the Doctor and then tickled Eri, filling the room with the joyful sound of her laughter, then Izuka poked Eri's nose and grinned; "I'm very good, especially when I have such a good patient."

Eri giggled and relaxed a bit, allowing Izuka to continue the exam under Shirotabi's watchful eye. To make Eri more comfortable, Izuka demonstrated everything she was going to do on Shoto first, who obediently stood and allowed Izuka to do each test. It was a rambunctious and energetic as Shoto acted like a Magicians Assistant and overreacted to Izuka's every action, forcing the watchers to chuckle and applaud while Eri giggled and tried to mimic him and even begin helping Izuka give the exams, squeezing the Blood Pressure Tester and looking inside his ears with the special scope, and even used a stethoscope to listen to his heartbeat. Eri opened up amazingly, acting like a child for perhaps the first time in her short life.

From his bed, the heavily bandaged Endeavor watched as not only Eri, but Shoto too opened up and began to act like the child (or teenager) he really was. The whole affair brought a mixed feeling of great joy and horrible guilt to the man… he'd never seen Shoto happy like that before. He'd never made his son happy… it was always his mother who made Shoto happy and Endeavor took that away from him. Then it was Izuka that made him happy, and Endeavor had foolishly tried to talk her into a Quirk Marriage with Shoto, almost ruining that for the boy too. Then it was All-Might, then Class 1-A and now this little girl, who had only met Shoto today, that made him happy. Endeavor, no, Enji Todoroki could feel nothing but shame, knowing a tortured little girl had made his son happier than he, the boy's father ever had. He had done nothing good for his children, not until Izuka had stomped all over his pride and reminded him that no matter how strong he got, he'd never win or become Number One. He terrified Fuyumi, who was so kind hearted. He inspired hatred in Natsuo, a boy that was once so care-free. He was the man that drove away Toya, who hurt him so badly when his oldest son simply wanted to be a part of his father's life again. And Rei… Enji didn't even want to think about what he did to her, but he did anyway and he was disgusted by it.

Suddenly, Enji's attention was snapped back to reality when the feeling in the room became awkward and stilted. It was time for Izuka to examined Eri's scars, and this wasn't something she could easily demonstrate on Shoto, as he had no scars on his arms and legs like Eri did… but he did have the large scar on his face…

Izuka hesitated, not sure if it was okay to continue, but Shoto just smiled and nodded. "It's fine." he said. He'd long ago accepted this part of himself. The boy sat down so Eri could easily reach up and mimic Izuka's actions, which was gently touching the edges of the scar and then progressively poking different areas, asking if Shoto felt any pain.

"It's sensitive to the cold and stings a bit if cold wind blows on it, but I'm used to it. There's no other pain and my eye sight on that side hasn't been affected." Shoto said.

Eri tilted her head as she gently patted the scarred cheek. "Did you get your scar like I did?" she asked, moving her hand to her bared arms, littered with scars. "Did a bad person give you it?"

Shoto froze and Izuka gave him a sympathetic look. The Adults in the room were purposely looking anywhere but at Endeavor, yet it was the Flame Hero that answered Eri's question. "No, it was a Good Person that scarred him, but they did it because of a Bad Person."

Eri frowned, "So they were controlled by a Bad Guy… that's horrible." she whimpered.

"It is." Enji agreed.

"Is the Bad Guy gone?" Eri asked, "Did he get taken away?"

Shoto gently patted the girl's head, looking his father in the eye as he did so; "I wasn't sure before. The Bad Man was around for a long time… but recently, he's disappeared."

"That's good… I hope he stays gone." Eri said.

Shoto nodded, once again looking at his father; "So do I."

Enji Todoroki grimaced and lay back in his bed, raising an arm to cover his face. He didn't want anyone to see the expression of pain he was making. His son had said what Enji had hoped, admittedly in a roundabout way; Shoto was going to try and move on past his Father's cruel past and try to have a real relationship with the man that Enji was becoming. Enji knew he didn't deserve it and knew that even with Shoto giving him a real chance to reconcile, he'd never completely undo the things he'd done… but now he could try at least.

All-Might watched his old rival, feeling oddly proud of the man. It took a lot to accept your own flaws and try to move past them, abandoning your reckless pride. It was a lesson that Toshi had learned from the death of his master, and a lesson he was reminded of every time Izuka died and he was unable to stop it. Catching the Flame Hero's eye for a second, Toshinori flashed him an All-Might Smile, expressing that things would be okay now and Toshinori would be rooting for him. Izuka too was smiling, cuddling a mildly confused Eri for her help in bringing about the small exchange between the Todoroki Heroes.

From there, the Medical Exam quickly finished and Izuka looked over the results along with Doctor Shirotabi. With Eri's Blood Test fast-tracked, the results had come in by the time the exam was finished, so they were able to build a picture of Eri's health. Eri was a bit small for her age, and was underweight, though not seriously so; a few good meals and then a consistent diet would likely resolve both issues. Her blood revealed that she was quite healthy internally and resistant to a lot of illnesses because of the experiments done on her and her scars, while unsightly and upsetting to little Eri, had healed quite well and were of little risk of infection. She was also well vaccinated.

The Blood Test also revealed a bit about her identity, thanks to the rigorous record keeping by the Hospitals of the Quirk Era. She was supposedly the daughter of a missing person married to a woman related to the Eight Precepts' former Capo. Her mother was also a missing person, though she was discovered dead a couple of years ago, murdered in Yakuza related activity, not that it seemed to matter as Eri had been abandoned by her mother after her quirk went wild and rewound her father out of existence. Eri remembered little about her mother, aside from the abandonment and how her mother had been the one to first call her Cursed. When Inko heard that, she scoffed and declared that Eri didn't need such a rotten mother.

When the question about what would happen to Eri now came up, Aizawa-sensei simply said; "Nest is currently off working on that. He told all of us to stick around, so you can bet it'll involve U.A."

At this point, Eri was hungry, so they had a late lunch together in the Hospital room. Enji was treated to a domestic scene of the type he'd never seen; Nezu and Aizawa were talking quietly in the corner, while Shoto, Izuka, Eri, All-Might and Inko were sat on or around Eri's bed chatting happily and enjoying their lunch. Watching Inko feeding a few apple slices to Eri reminded the man of when his eldest son, Toya had been born and how Rei had treated him. Even then, Enji had been distant compared to Rei, but he'd loved his child in his own way, before Enji became a monster.

It was just as Enji was thinking this that the door swung open and the man paled drastically. There, marching through the door was Fuyumi, Natsuo and Enji's wife; Rei. "Shoto!" the three cried, rushing into the room. Eri squeaked in surprise and dived under the covers of her bed, peeking out just a bit to see what was going on.

Shoto stood up, smiling warmly at his family. "Mom, Fuyumi, Natsuo! What are you three doing here?"

"What do you mean what are we doing here!? Mom and Sis got a call from your school saying you were injured and in Hospital!" Natsuo half-yelled, ruffling his little brother's hair, "Of course we'd come."

"Are you okay to be up, Shoto? The Doctors said something about you being shot by some kind of heat beam." Rei asked, gently patting her son down, searching for a wound.

"I'm fine Mom." Shoto said with a small smile; "Izuka was with me and healed me right up."

Rei sighed with relief and looked to Izuka, who was chuckling lightly and coaxing the shy Eri out of her fortress of blankets. "You must be Izuka Midoriya. Shoto has told us a lot about you; thank you for taking care of him." Rei said, bowing.

Izuka blushed and stood to bow in return. Rei was a very beautiful woman, and though she carried herself without much confidence, Izuka felt that she was a person to respect. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs Todoroki! You don't need to thank me, Shoto's my friend, so of course I'd help him."

Rei giggled at Izuka's flustered expression, "You're a polite young lady." she smiled, "You and his new friends are all Shoto ever talks about on his visits."

"It's the same at school." Izuka grinned, "He talks about you guys a lot. I'm glad you're doing well; I hear you moved to Nabo Ward."

Rei nodded and the two made small talk for a while as Natsuo and Fuyumi teased Shoto in front of Eri and Inko, making the two ladies laugh. Enji watched with astonishment, shocked at seeing his family so happy and at peace…. _"This is how they would always have been, if it weren't for me."_ he thought bitterly. He kept silent, hoping his presence would go unnoticed and thus wouldn't ruin the happy moment. Alas, despite his hopes, his wife looked at him and despite how different he looked with his massive new scar, no flames and swathed in bandages, she recognised him instantly.

It tore his heart out to see how Rei paled at the sight of him. She froze up and both Natsuo and Fuyumi looked to see what had caused it. Fuyumi gasped and Natsuo growled.

"What are you doing here!?" Natsuo demanded.

Enji, somewhat without thinking, raised his bandaged arm and pointed at it. That act drew the Todoroki Family's attention to his injuries, and all three paled even further. Enji really did look worse for wear; his arms and entire torso was wrapped in bandages and the entire left side of his body was covered, though his face was exposed, revealing the grievous scar that had mostly healed over thanks to Izuka's healing and the Doctors' quick work.

"What happened to you!?" Fuyumi asked, running to her father's side. Even at his worst, Fuyumi hadn't hated him, just feared him, so she was the first to accept his attempts at redemption.

"Gammon didn't take kindly to me trying to make amends. He betrayed us and joined up with the Eight Precepts. He was high on Trigger, so his boosted laser sliced me open." Enji explained.

"Tch, that horrid Pig! Why did you ever keep that monster around in the first place!" Fuyumi frowned.

Enji sighed and shrugged, but Rei, still partially paralysed by the sight of her husband, remembered exactly why Endeavor had kept Gammon around. Gammon, real name Daisuke Fudo, had been the best friend of her eldest son, Toya Todoroki. Daisuke worshipped Endeavor as the ideal hero, so after the incident that caused Toya to run from his family, Daisuke offered to report on what Toya was doing, so Endeavor would always know how his oldest son was. Of course, Gammon eventually went too far, killing a petty criminal in cold blood and claiming they were resisting, so Endeavor had to save him to keep his only link to Toya. Not that it helped however, as Toya had apparently learnt of the deal in the aftermath and abandoned Gammon, declaring he hated the Pig more than even Endeavor. Still, Endeavor kept him on, partly to utilise Gammon's strength and partly in the hope the two friends would reconcile. It was a naive hope, but even before All-Might's daughter stripped Endeavor of his pride, he'd still been ashamed of how things had gone with Toya…

Natsuo just sneered, "Hmph, nice scar."

"Natsu!" Fuyumi scolded, swatting her younger brother while their mother began to ease up a tiny bit. Inko had shifted over to stand beside her and was putting a hand on her back, smiling at the fellow mother kindly. Rei smiled thankfully, Inko's presence helping to reassure her. Enji's look of pain and regret also stuck out in Rei's mind… if Enji had one notable trait, it was that he couldn't hide his feelings at all. Most saw him as a stoic and stern man, but that was simply because he usually felt either nothing at all or felt anger. When he was happy, or sad then is showed on his face.

Enji couldn't argue or complain with what Natsuo had said; the scar he had did mirror Shoto's, as it was on the same side and same area, though due to Izuka's healing and closing of the wound, it resembled a massive slash scar as opposed to a burn scar, and it stretched from his hip to his hair line.

Natsuo ignored his sister and carried on, letting out many of his deeply buried feelings; "The World doesn't know about what you did to Mom and the rest of us." he glared at Endeavor, "Out of all of us, I got lucky; to me you were basically just a stranger since I was only four when Shoto was born and you abandoned me. But still, I won't forgive you for the way you treated Mom and Shoto, as if they were just tools!"

Enji said nothing, so his son continued his tirade; "Even after all this time, you've never apologised. This so-called change of yours… you're just leaving behind your past actions, not making up for them!"

The Flame Hero stood up, struggling to his feet as his body felt numb and weak both from his injuries and his emotional state. He turned to face Natsuo fully; "You're right, I haven't apologised. Not because I want to forget the past, or because I don't want to apologise, but I simply don't deserve to yet. An Apology from a man that hasn't changed is worthless, so I resolved to change and show the world that I am a man that my family can be proud of… only then will I have earned the right to try and earn your forgiveness." Enji stood straight, his posture not proud, but rather stern but accepting, "So say what you wish, Natsuo. Everything you have to say, then say it; I will bear it all as I deserve."

"Say it!?" Natsuo growled, "That's rich coming from you! You never even looked me in the eye before now! You know, I didn't know anything about Shoto before just recently…. I didn't know his hobbies, his favourite food or colour, the kinds of girls he liked or who his friends were… you were so careful to keep us "Failures" away from him, we couldn't be a part of his life! And who stopped that? It sure as shit wasn't you! It was that girl!" Natsuo pointed to Izuka, "And she didn't owe Shoto anything! Shoto said they weren't even friends until AFTER she helped him out, and yet she helped him while you didn't!"

"Natsu..." Shoto sighed. He couldn't really argue with his older brother… even after deciding to try and support his father's change, Shoto couldn't completely forgive him or erase the vestiges of hatred within him.

"For whatever reason, Fuyumi and Shoto are trying to forgive you, but as far as I'm concerned, you're still the bastard that hurt us all! You neglected me! You made Sis terrified of you! We used to cry and listen as Mom screamed and Shoto cried… then that bullshit you pulled with Big Bro Toya! And now, after all that, you think "Well now is a good time to change!" and just try to waltz back into our lives!?" Natsuo roared.

Enji stood and silently took the words of his son, each one cutting him deeply, but not a single one undeserved. "I was a Fool. I allowed my pride to overrule everything, and it took someone destroying that pride to make me stop and see the damage I'd caused. I caused you all so much pain, and no matter what I do, I cannot take that back… But I have made my choice; I will face my past sins and try to atone, both as a Hero and as a Man. I will do all that I can to make you and your mother and siblings happy, even if that means never being a direct part of your lives again. I will not back down from this decision… I will finally stand tall as a true Hero and say "I am here" for both my family and the world."

Natsuo felt tears pricking his eyes, both from rage and misery. "Even now, all I want to do is beat the crap out of you!"

Enji nodded; "Then do so. I will not resist; it is the least I deserve for my abuse of you all."

Natsuo growled and for an instant, it looked like he really was going to hit his father, cocking his fist back as the occupants of the room shouted for him to stop. Strangely, it wasn't any of the adults or either of the two young Heroes that stopped Natsuo, but rather Little Eri, who ran from her blanket fortress and scrambled to stand between Natsuo and Enji, her little arms held up in defence despite the fear on her face.

"P-Please! Don't hurt the Fire Man!" Eri begged.

Natsuo blinked and lowered his fist, confused. "Who are you, Little Girl?" he asked.

"Um, I'm Eri! Please don't fight with the Fire Man, he's all hurt because of me..."

"What? What does she mean?" Natsuo asked, turning to Izuka and Shoto.

Izuka went to gently pick up Eri; "When Gammon was hit by Trigger, he became a monster and attacked Eri, Shoto and I. We were falling and I could only protect Eri or Shoto when Gammon attacked with his heat beam. Endeavor jumped in the way of the attack, which was how he got that horrible scar… if he hadn't done it, then either Eri or Shoto would have died. It was only Endeavor's amazing Fire Resistance that stopped him from being vaporised, instead just being sliced open where the beam was strongest. As it was, he almost died as the beam came really close to slicing into his heart and lungs. He only has his eye because I was able to do some emergency healing."

"Uh huh! And then Fire Man beat up the Scary Pig, and he helped stop the Bad Man that wanted to take me away! Fire Man, Izuka and Shoto are heroes!" Eri declared.

Natsuo now looked conflicted, "I… that's… He saved you and Shoto, but that's not enough! He still has to pay for the things he's done!"

Izuka reluctantly nodded; "I agree. I probably have no right to say this, since I'm sure I only know a fraction of what Endeavor's done, but I really think he's trying his best to make up for it all. I know that he probably can't, not completely… but I think you should let him try. Don't just trust him, since he's committed so many sins and don't just trust me, since I'm only a stranger to you, but please trust Shoto. He suffered the most from all this and he's still trying to make things right… so please believe in Shoto and his choice."

Shoto nodded and stepped forward; "Izuka is right. I know better than anyone the kinds of things Endeavor has done… but if I'm honest, I don't think this man is the same person who did those things. The Endeavor we all hated died after the Sports Festival. Let this new one try and redeem the name." Shoto leaned forward, hugging his brother and whispering into his ear; "Plus, I can still see him struggling with the change. I'm afraid that if we don't accept his new self, he may revert to the old one, and even if you don't forgive him, you've got to admit this is better than before."

The Older Boy grimaced and looked to his mother. Rei Todoroki was much calmer now, surrounded by people she could trust and with Inko stood at her side as a silent companion. She had listened to her Husband's words, Eri's child-like declaration, Izuka's plea to trust in Shoto and her youngest son's earnest belief that the old Endeavor was gone, leaving behind a tormented and struggling Enji who was trying desperately to atone. Looking to Inko with a look that plead for the woman to stay with her, Rei then slowly walked to Enji. Her three children watched her with varying degrees of worry and fear, but it was Enji's expression that galvanised her; her every step towards him seemed to make his expression become more fearful and guilty… it was almost like she terrified him as much as he terrified her.

"Enji." she greeted, Inko still beside her (though she'd stepped a little closer to Endeavor, so the Wife of All-Might could step between the Todorokis if needed).

"Rei." he returned, his voice cracking a bit, though he masked it by clearing his throat.

His wife caught it and smiled slightly. "You never were able to hide your feelings, especially from me." she said, "I still remember the Old You, the man that cried happily when he held his firstborn son in his arms for the first time."

"Rei… I'm so sorry… I don't deserve to apologise to you, but it's all I can say now. The things I've done..." Enji was becoming more emotional with each word.

Rei reached up hesitantly, then pressed her hand against Enji's scar, activating her quirk just enough to cool the inflamed skin. Enji shuddered at the contact and pressed his own hand against hers, gently pushing it tighter to his face like a lifeline. "Enji, you're not the only one who did something wrong. After all, it was me who hurt our Shoto..."

To Rei's surprise, all the Todorokis, including Enji immediately shouted "NO!", making her jump a bit.

"Rei, please! For the love of God, don't ever say that again! Everything that happened was my fault and my fault alone! Please, never ever blame yourself!" Enji argued passionately, "I couldn't live with myself if you blamed yourself for my sins..."

Rei smiled gently and rubbed her thumb over her husband's cheek. She had been terrified all these years, petrified at seeing the man that had caused her so much pain… but this wasn't that man. He wasn't wreathed in flame, and his eyes were warm and gentle as opposed to the narrow and cruel glint they had taken in the past. "I knew it..." she smiled tearfully, "I saw what you were doing all these years. After what happened with Toya, you kept Gammon around in the hopes of reconciling some day… you sent me those flowers every week, despite me only mentioning that I liked them once when we had out first date… you sent me gifts on every birthday and holiday, including pictures of our children. You paid for Fuyumi and I to move to Nabo Ward, and the whole reason we're here today is because you changed Shoto's emergency contact at U.A from yourself to Fuyumi and I."

The Woman couldn't help but laugh gently as tears slipped down her cheeks; "It hurt so much… not just seeing you act like a monster, but catching glimpses of the man you really are trying to escape from inside that monster. But now… that monster is finally dead and gone and the man I love is free. Welcome Home, Enji."

In the flash, everyone in the room bore witness to something they never thought they'd ever see. Enji Todoroki, the Flame Hero: Endeavor and Number Two Hero… began to cry. Tears slipped down his cheeks and he cradled Rei's hand against his cheek. From there, a lot happened all at once; Shoto and Fuyumi were talked into a family hug with both their parents, which Natsuo refused. Natsuo relented to offering ONE chance to his father, promising to never forgive the man if he did one more thing to hurt the family, which Enji accepted. Toshinori and Inko promised to help the Todoroki Couple, and Endeavor finally shook All-Might's hand, not abandoning their rivalry, but accepting that the adversarial nature of it would end. Inko and Rei became friends and the two arranged to begin visiting with each other, with Inko wanted to introduce Rei to Mitsuki. Fuyumi happily chattered away with Izuka and Eri, while Natsuo spoke quietly with Aizawa and Nezu, both teachers helping talk him through some of his feelings. Endeavor agreed to attend Anger Management and General Counselling while he and Rei decided to attend Couple's Counselling too to repair some of the gaping wounds in their relationship.

And so, the Nightmare of the Todoroki Family came to an end. The Consequences of it would be felt for the rest of their lives, and some things would never be forgotten, but Enji Todoroki swore to uphold his change, forcing All-Might to promise to take him down if he ever returned to his old, cruel ways. Enji promised to find Toya and bring him home, so the Todoroki family could finally sit together at the same table as a true family. The Road to a Restored Todoroki Family would be a long one full of pain and hardship, but it was one they had all decided to walk together.

As evening came, Agent Nest finally returned. He spent a few minutes talking to Nezu, then turned to the group. Rei, Fuyumi and Natsuo had gone home as Visiting Hours ended, but the Yagi-Midoriyas were still around.

"Okay everyone, we have come to a decision on what we shall do with Little Eri… or rather, we have two choices." Nest said.

Eri snuggled closer to Izuka, fearing what was to come, but Izuka patiently hugged her and promised she'd be okay. "W-What will you do with me?"

Nest sat on the bed opposite her; "The first choice is the one we'd rather avoid if possible. You will be placed in a special Care Facility for Children with Dangerous and Volatile Quirks. You'll remain there until you gain enough control over your quirk to be moved to the standard Child Care System, or are fostered or adopted by someone with the appropriate means of keeping your quirk under control. The Facility is nice and the people who work there are carefully vetted to ensure they are responsible and child friendly, but it's still no replacement for a real family."

"I don't like the idea of Eri becoming part of the system." Aizawa frowned, "As many improvements as there have been, it's still not a very pleasant thing for a little girl."

"I agree." Nest said, "Which is why we have an alternative. The only real problem is Eri's Quirk; because of it's nature, there is next to no one who can safely deal with it. It needs to be countered or erased… however, we have two people with those abilities in the same place; namely you, Shota Aizawa and you, Izuka Midoriya." the Agent smiled; "Aizawa, you can erase her quirk to stop it in an Emergency and Izuka, you are immune since your evolution counters her Rewind AND you've already shown you can help counsel Little Eri by helping her deactivate her quirk this morning. Since you're both at U.A normally, and U.A has the facilities to train quirks, it is the ideal solution. Legally speaking, we'd like to name the two of you as her Foster Parents, but we can't, since Izuka is underage and doesn't have a License to care for Children with Volatile Quirks, which is required to foster or adopt a child like Eri."

"We can foster her." Inko chimed in, quickly looking to her Husband to ensure it was okay (and getting an enthusiastic nod in return), "My husband got his license for when he adopted Izuka, since her quirk is classified as Volatile too. And I earned mine before being employed by U.A, since all U.A Staff Members require them." She hadn't needed one before, as the Natural Parents of a child with a Volatile quirk was exempt from needing the license, so long as they had someone to help counsel the child.

Eri looked at the couple with wide, hopeful eyes; "You'd do that?"

"Of course! We've spent almost all day with you and we can see how kind and gentle you are. You are a very good little girl and we'd like to become your foster parents." Inko smiled warmly.

"You'd be most welcome!" Toshinori grinned; "My wife and I can't have any more children of our own, even though we both wanted to give Izuka a younger sibling. We had debated on adoption, but it never felt like the right time. You coming along is like a sign from heaven!"

Eri looked to Izuka, "D-Does that mean they'll be my Mama and Papa? That you'll be my Big Sister?"

Izuka looked ready to burst into happy tears, "Yes! Do you want to do it? You'd be Eri Yagi-Midoriya!"

Eri squealed happily; "Yes! Yes Please, I want to do it!"

Nest grinned widely and turned to Nezu and Aizawa; "With Mr and Mrs Yagi-Midoriya fostering her, we won't need either of you to be involved in the actual fostering process, but I'd like to ask you to allow Eri to live and be schooled within U.A."

"Of course! I tutored Izuka after the All for One incident and it was a real treat to have a student again. U.A will happily accept Eri." Nezu grinned.

"I'll be assisting in her Quirk Counselling. I approve of this arrangement, but it would be irresponsible to leave it all to Izuka. She's still a kid herself after all." Aizawa said, "Besides, I think this whole affair will be as good for Izuka as it will be for Eri… maybe she'll be less eager to jump into danger if she knows she has a Little Sister of her own to come home to."

A short time later; Inko, Toshinori and Izuka signed the papers that Nest had prepared and the rest of the room's occupants celebrated and congratulated the family on their newest addition. Little Eri was lulled to sleep by Izuka and Inko quietly talking about all the things they'd be buying her and all the new experiences she'd get to have. Early that morning, Eri had awoken in a glorified cell and run for her life away from murderous criminals, and now she was going to sleep in the arms of her loving new family. A happy new life was beginning for Eri Yagi-Midoriya!


	8. Eri's Best Day

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 8: Eri's Best Day**

On the roof tops of Hosu, the Hero Killer Stain was sitting idly, watching over the city like a bloodthirsty gargoyle and eating a Cup Ramen that he'd been able to pilfer from a guy doing some shopping. Stain couldn't exactly go shopping himself, as he was far too conspicuous even without his gear, so he'd hidden in the shadows of an alley and snatched the meal as the man walked past, completely unaware. Stain had tossed a few hundred yen into the shopping bag in recompense; he may be a killer of false heroes, but he didn't want to be a common thief.

It was night now and the sky was completely black, which helped the Hero Killer relax. He preferred to do his work in day light where possible, so at night he rested. Today had been oddly quiet as many of the local emergency services headed to Musutafu to aid them after some sort of big villain attack. Stain didn't know what had happened, but he was curious.

Suddenly, the door of the roof top he was sitting on burst open, and a small squad of masked men ran out, mostly ignoring Stain and instead securing the perimeter. Each man wore some kind of mask, most of them themed like birds or plague doctors. Stain watched them carefully, until their leader came out. The leader also wore a plague doctor mask, but he was notable by the full, light coloured coat he wore with the hood up. Stain vaguely recognised his outfit.

"You're that guy… the Yakuza lieutenant. You were at the meeting with Overhaul and Shigaraki." Stain said, putting aside his food and getting to his feet, carefully watching the men around him for any sign of aggression.

"I am Chronostasis, if you have forgotten." the leader replied. "I have come to talk, based on the deal you had with our Master, Overhaul."

Stain sneered; "What more is there to say? If I catch that Midoriya Girl, I hand her other to you and you destroy her quirk. We lose a potential threat and the League loses their precious weapon."

"The Plan has changed slightly." Chronostasis said calmly, "Have you heard of the incident in Musutafu?"

Stain nodded; "Not the details, but it caught a lot of people's attention."

"Early this morning, an asset of ours; Eri, the girl whose quirk is used to produce the bullets we make, managed to escape. Master Overhaul went alone to recapture her, but he was stopped by Endeavor, his son, and the Phoenix Girl. Master Overhaul and another Asset, Gammon, were defeated, arrested and shipped off to Tartarus before we could intervene." Chronostasis explained.

"Sucks for you, but it has no bearing on me or our deal." Stain pointed out.

"It does." Chronostasis sneered beneath his mask, "We originally planned to simply release the Phoenix Girl once her quirk was destroyed. However, we will now hold her as a hostage and ransom her release in exchange for Master Overhaul and Eri. We're informing you of this out of respect for the deal we made, to ensure no trust is broken." The man said, though their was also another reason; if the Eight Precepts decided to kill the Phoenix Girl in revenge before ransoming her, they might need to use Stain to recapture Eri while the gang focused on trying to free Overhaul.

Stain shrugged; "Fine. But in that case, once I hand the girl over, I'll stick around. I don't trust you people, so I'll ensure her safety myself while she's in your care. I don't care how many fake heroes you want to slaughter, I won't have the blood of an innocent on my hands."

Chronostasis nodded and clicked his fingers, having his men retreat as he followed slowly behind. The Yakuza Lieutenant privately found Stain to be a peculiar man, full of contradiction. He would slaughter every hero in the world if he judged them to be fake, just in it for fame and prestige, but he'd never commit any other crime nor would he allow an innocent to be harmed. The man was relieved that he'd kept Eri's true age and status a secret, or Stain would likely have killed him for participating in her abuse. Ultimately, it mattered not; Stain would be used and then thrown away, after all, in the world that Kai Chisaki wished to create, no one would have a quirk, so a being like Stain would be caught and killed quickly.

Back on the roof, Stain idly munched on his remaining Ramen (thank god the office building he was on had a coffee machine that he could easily reach for hot water). Stain was no fool; he hadn't killed and maimed as many heroes as he had by being dumb. No, he knew exactly what fate would befall the Phoenix Girl if he left her with the Precepts. Even if they did ransom her for Overhaul and this Eri person, there was no way they'd let the person who caused so much trouble to walk free, it just wasn't the Yakuza way. Still, Stain would deliver the Phoenix to them and have them destroy her quirk, because the moment that was done, he would slaughter the lot of them. The Phoenix Girl would probably curse him forever, but at least she'd be alive. He'd drop her back at U.A and then flee. It was the perfect "Kill two birds with one stone" plan. Stain just needed something to lure Phoenix out, and he had the perfect bait all picked out.

Stain had spotted a boy in armour similar to Ingenium's patrolling Hosu with Manuel. He remembered that Ingenium had a little brother and this boy seemed to match the descriptions, and according to the news report on Ingenium's recovery, it had been him that approached Midoriya to heal his older brother, which meant that the two were likely quite close. Stain smirked; he'd hunt the boy and use him to draw Phoenix out. Plus, it was obvious to the Hero Killer that the boy was in Hosu hunting him out of revenge, which made him a fake hero. This would be like killing three birds with one stone, but first, he had to finish his hunt for Native, his next target.

[ **WITH THE YAGI-MIDORIYAS** ]

The next morning, Little Eri could barely contain her happiness as she was carefully bundled into the back seat of a large car that would take her to her new home; U.A! She and her new family (Eri couldn't get enough of calling them that) had stayed the night in hospital, so the Doctors could be sure she was okay and to keep the Todoroki Heroes company.

Endeavor would be staying in hospital for one more day while Recovery Girl healed what remained of his wounds. Eri had woken up to find that in her sleep, Big Sis Izuka had healed her scars, so her entire body was smooth and soft, the way a small child's should be. Big Sis Izuka didn't want to explain how she had done it, since it was supposed to be painful, which was why she did it while Eri was sleeping. Endeavor had refused the same treatment though, wanting to keep his scar as a reminder. Shoto, who also refused the treatment, having grown used to his scar, would be staying at the Hospital with his father and since Endeavor was bedridden, both he and Izuka were given a day off from their Internships, but would have to be prepared to work very hard the next day to make up for it.

As such, Izuka had the entire day free since normal school wasn't on and all her friends were still working, so she had proclaimed she would devote the whole day to her new little sister, making Eri quite possibly the happiest she'd ever been. On the ride to U.A, Eri got to learn a bit more about the other two people with her; Shota Aizawa and Principal Nezu.

They introduced themselves (and Aizawa gave her permission to use his first name, since she couldn't pronounce his last name easily) and told her a bit about them.

"I will be your teacher once you're ready and settled in." Nezu explained kindly, "I taught your big sister when she wasn't much older than you."

Eri nodded; "Um, I don't know very much 'cause I never went to school… I can read though, and write a little."

"Well done! Don't worry, I will be sure to only push you as much as you can take. I won't be upset if you can't do everything the first time. Even I, whose quirk makes me a genius, cannot do everything on my first attempt!" Nezu grinned, raising one of his paw pads and patting it gently on Eri's now unblemished hands.

"Don't worry Eri, Principal Nezu is very nice. If you're a good girl, which I know you are, then he'll be really friendly." Izuka assured her.

Eri nodded, then tried to whisper; "Um, what is he?" though the quiet car made it easy to hear her. The Little Girl briefly looked horrified that she might have insulted the man (Mouse? Thing?) but he and most of the other adults just chuckled.

"None of us know." Mama Inko smiled, "It's sort of become a game at U.A."

"We all have bets on what race and breed he is. My bet is that he's a tiny polar bear!" Papa Toshi laughed. He was driving, so he kept his eyes on the road, though he was still listening avidly.

"My bet is he's a big mouse." Izuka chirped.

"I think he's some kind of weird dog." Shota smirked, making Nezu flick his tail at the sleepy man.

"It's a secret to everyone." Nezu said happily, making Eri giggle. Privately, she thought he was a mouse, like Izuka did, but she decided not to say, since she didn't have money for a bet.

From there, Eri smiled and asked; "What are the other U.A people like? Are they nice?"

As it turned out, that was the signal for Izuka and Shota to both give her the "Guide to Surviving Overbearing U.A Teachers". It was a collection of tips and tricks that the two had come up with since Izuka met the teachers and had to face their collective excitement. The two swapped back and forth as they gave Eri tips:

"If a loud man named Present Mic or a dark haired lady named Midnight start fussing over you, don't worry; they won't hurt you, but be sure to say if you're uncomfortable. They'll back off and won't be offended." Izuka started.

"Everyone will probably try slipping you candy at different points. You can accept it, but give it to your parents to look after. If they see you eat it, they'll give you more until you end up with a stomach ache. Izuka spent a lot of time napping off a candy binge because she couldn't say no to them at first." Aizawa continued.

"Recovery Girl has needles on her at all times, but she won't ever use them without your permission."

"Don't touch Power Loader unless he has his gloves on. His claws don't look too sharp, but they can really sting."

"Blood King looks scary, but he won't ever hurt you. He's a big softy."

"Ectoplasm looks scary too, even out of his costume, but he's a bigger softy than Blood King. In fact, he's really weak to cuteness, so if you ask nicely, you could probably make him do anything. Be sure to use that power responsibly!"

"If you're hungry and Mama and Papa aren't around, then just ask Lunch Rush. He'll feed you whatever you want and it's always really delicious and usually pretty healthy."

"Don't go near Power Loader's work shops without another adult. He gets too excited by his inventions and often forgets that you're not able to defend yourself."

"Don't wake up Aizawa-sensei unless it's really important. If you're a kid, he'll just wrap you up in his scarves and force you to nap with him and if you're a teenager or grown up, he'll just glare until you go away."

"Hey!" Aizawa argued against that last one, but both Eri and Izuka were giggling so much that he decided to let it slide. It was nice to see his Problem Student so carefree. Most of the remaining rules were just safety regulations, which shouldn't be a problem to Eri since she won't have access to any of the dangerous areas of the school until she was older.

Finally, they arrived at U.A and headed straight for Class 1-A's dorms. Since there was so few girls compared to boys in the class, most of the Girls' Dorms were empty, so Nezu had called ahead the night before to have the room next to Izuka's slightly remodelled to include a door between it and Izuka's room. This was so that Eri could stay close to Izuka whilst still having her own space (and Nezu also recognised that no matter how accommodating she was, Izuka was still a Teenage Girl and would need a place to be alone if she needed it).

Eri was shown around the Dorms, including her new parents' apartment, Aizawa's apartment and Izuka's room, as well as Eri's very own room. The little girl was delighted to be next door to her big sister and was even happier to learn she had a special door just for her, so she could go and see Izuka whenever she wanted.

"We'd have placed you in your new Parents' apartment, but there isn't a spare room for you there and we wanted to limit the construction done to the building. Luckily it only takes a good Quirk Builder a single night to put in a doorway." Nezu explained as Eri eagerly explored her new room.

It was actually smaller than the room she had at the Eight Precepts Base, but it was above ground so there was natural light and much homier, especially as the placard on the door had her name on it, and not just Eri. On the door, in crisp writing, was the name "Eri Yagi-Midoriya".

"I love it! Thank you so much!" Eri squealed, hugging her new family and politely bowing to Aizawa and Nezu (she wasn't brave enough to hug them yet).

"You're welcome! You'll be neighbours with a few other girls on this floor too, and there are a total of twenty teenagers all living in this building with us." Inko explained, "They're all away at the moment on their internships, but they'll be back this weekend. Shoto Todoroki is one of the students living here."

Eri nodded happily; she liked Shoto, since he was nice to her and helped save her. She was a bit nervous about all the others though, something Izuka picked up on.

"Don't worry about the others. They're all my friends and very nice. They'll all love you, I just know it! They're always talking about me being cute and needing protecting, so when they see you, they'll probably fall over themselves trying to make you like them, since you're way cuter than me!" Izuka giggled, poking on Eri's cheek, "In fact, one of the people living here is my boyfriend. His name is Katsuki Bakugou, and since you're my little sister now, you can bet he'll do whatever you want. He curses a lot, but he's really nice deep down."

Eri gasped and her eyes widened; "Big Sister has a boyfriend? Wow, you're like an adult!"

Izuka blushed and chuckled; "I wouldn't say that… Katsuki and I are still just kids really, but we love each other." Izuka said bashfully, then her face suddenly turned stern for a second as she knelt down to Eri; "But you're only little, so don't get a boyfriend yet! Wait until you're a teenager, and your big sis needs to approve! I won't let just any boy go out with you!"

Inko and Toshinori laughed, while Eri nodded seriously. She loved her Big Sister so much already, and it had only been a day… that was the power of showing unconditional love to a child that had never felt it.

Nezu departed soon after to see to his duties as Principal. All the Hero Students may be out on Work Experience, but the rest of the student body was still in classes, so he couldn't afford to be away for too long. The remaining group sat together in the Common Room to discuss what they would do for the rest of the day.

"Well, I think first things first, we need to buy Eri's things! She has no toys, clothes or anything of her own. We need to buy some things for her room too." Inko said, already in Mom Mode as she began making a list

"Um, I don't need any things, really! I'm grateful for what I have!" Eri argued. She was wearing a cute pink dress with ruffles and some white socks and shoes, donated by one of the Nurses at the Hospital, but that was all she had.

"Don't be silly, Eri." Izuka gently pinched her cheek, "You can't just have one outfit, and you need toys and things to play with! It'd be awfully boring otherwise."

Eri tilted her head; "Is it really okay for me to have toys? The Bad People tried to give me some, but I was always too scared to touch them… But you are nice people, I don't want you to waste money on me..."

"None of that." Toshinori said, holding Eri's hand; "No money spent on you would be a waste. All children deserve to have toys to play with, and you've gone six years without! Plus, your New Mama and Big Sister are looking forward to dressing you up!" the man smiled widely, much like his master Nana used to do for him, "You haven't known the love of a family before, so it's understandable that you don't know how it works, but don't worry; the three of us will show you!"

Izuka wondered if her father's real quirk was "Inspiration" because the moment he finished talking, Eri looked completely into what he had said and she had gone from reluctant to go shopping to eager! Even Izuka felt inspired and wanted to do what her Papa had said, and show Eri exactly what familial love really was.

"O-Okay! If it's really okay, then I'd like to!" Eri said, earning a dazzling smile from her new Papa and a one armed hug (that due to the size difference, completely swamped Little Eri).

After giving everyone a chance to change clothes (Izuka was actually still in her costume), the Yagi-Midoriyas plus Aizawa piled back into Toshinori's large car and drove off to the closest Shopping Mall to U.A; Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall (nicknamed Wookiees Mall).

Wookiees was a massive shopping complex that had just about every kind of store and restaurant there was within its walls. Everything from outlet stores for lower incomes, to designer stores for the super rich could be found inside, not to mention a big indoor playground for children and a huge food court and fountain. When the group arrived, Eri was extremely shy; hiding behind Izuka as they entered. The crowd was huge, even considering it was a week day, so the large number of people was intimidating to Young Eri, and even Izuka was slightly worried by the crowds, though she stayed strong to give Eri confidence. Unbeknownst to either Eri or Izuka, the three adults had subtly taken positions around the two girls, partially hiding them from view whilst ensuring their safety. Izuka was likely to be recognised after all, thanks to the Sports Festival and Ingenium Incidents (Thank the Heavens that news of the Overhaul Battle hadn't gotten out yet).

Once Eri got somewhat used to the crowd, she became enamoured with Wookiees. Everything was so big and bright, it was like nothing she'd ever seen. Her world had always been grey stone and black shadows, occasionally splattered with red blood, but here everything was a maelstrom of blues, greens, yellows, pinks and other colours Eri couldn't even name! The Smells of a hundred different tasty foods wafted around and the sounds of laughter and cheerful merchants plying their trade was enough to stoke the fire of curiosity within the small girl.

"This place is huge..." Eri gasped out.

"It is! I haven't been here too often, so stay close. I don't want you to get lost." Izuka said, holding Eri's hand.

The two sisters walked hand in hand, following their mother and flanked by their father and Uncle Shota (as Eri took to calling him) as they went looking for a good place to buy Eri some clothes. The Mall was so big, they had dozens of shops for young girls' clothes, all devoted to different styles. Izuka tended to dress modestly and in simple, but feminine styles, preferring dresses or skirts to pants, and wearing high socks, leggings or tights to cover her legs, plus she favoured colours that matched well with her dark green hair and red flames, though her favourite was white. Due to the green hair, red flames and white clothes, Katsuki often said that Izuka looked ready for Christmas.

Since Eri wanted to match with her big sister, they decided on a store that sold simple clothes that were cute without all the additional frills. Aizawa and Toshinori were stuck sitting outside, nursing some coffee while the three girls went inside for what seemed like hours. Neither Inko nor Izuka were usually known to take long, but since they were dressing up Eri, they both took their time as they felt the child deserved to look as pretty as possible, and the little girl enjoyed the attention so much that she allowed them to dress her in just about everything the store had. By the time an hour had passed, the Yagi-Midoriya girls emerged with their arms full of bags as they bought just about everything that would fit Eri, plus some things for her to grow into. Thankfully the store had also included sections for night clothes, underwear and swim clothes, so they didn't need to visit another store for those items. Of course they still needed to buy new shoes, and upon hearing that, Aizawa groaned, though he didn't complain; Eri looked so damn happy that he didn't dare to. Instead he inwardly cursed; Damned Yagi-Midoriya Daughters worming their way into his heart…

After the (blessedly) short trip to a shoe store to get Eri a few pairs of shoes, they went to the Toy Store, something much more Aizawa and Toshinori's speed. Aizawa wasn't too bothered, but at least this was something he understood, as opposed to women's clothing.

As they were walking there, someone called out to them; "Inko! Izuka! Wait up!" shouted a male voice.

Both women turned and smiled brightly as they saw Haru Kintaro, Izuka's uncle running over to them. "Uncle Haru!" Izuka cheered.

Haru stopped in front of the group, panting and a few moments later, his disgruntled bodyguards came running to catch up. Haru was a very strong and fast man, thanks to his "Dragon Evolution" quirk, so his guards were more for the company's peace of mind than actual necessity. "I've been looking all over for you!" Haru said with a grin, finally recovering from his panting.

"You should have called us. We would have come to meet you!" Inko said, gently scolding the man.

"I wanted it to be a surprise. As it is, I went to Endeavor's Agency, then the Hospital, then U.A before coming here! It's lucky Nezu knew where you were going! I have a little something for Izuka, but I heard I might have a new niece." Haru grinned, looking to were Eri was shyly holding Izuka's hand and hoping to go unnoticed.

Izuka smiled kindly and gently nudged Eri forward, "Eri, this is my Uncle Haru. He's very nice, and your uncle too now."

Eri looked up at the man; Haru was as tall as Toshinori and was wearing a black designer suit with a red shirt and tie. His face was similar to Izuka's, though a tad sharper and he had a small dusting of freckles over the bridge of his nose, similar to the ones on Izuka's cheeks. His hair, free of the usual gel, was dark crimson and quite curly and fluffy, and since it had grown fairly long, it was tied up in a pony tail a bit like Izuka's. He also had some dark stubble and a grin that gave him a Devilishly handsome kind of look. But it was his eyes that Eri noticed most; they seemed to sparkle and shine just like Izuka's and Mama Inko's. This man was definitely a nice man!

"H-Hello. My name is Eri." Eri politely bowed her head.

Haru grinned and bowed back, "Nice to meet you, my new Little Niece! I'm Haru Kintaro; call me Uncle Haru!"

"It's wonderful to see you again Haru. But I have to ask, how did you know about Eri?" Inko asked, hugging the man and exchanging kisses on their cheeks.

Haru smiled coyly as he shook Toshi's hand and the two men shared a nod. "I heard about it from Agent Nest. His agency has been working with the Kintaro Group and the two of us are working closely on a big project. It includes the Yaoyorozu Conglomerate too, as well as an independent by the name of Mei Hatsume; a school girl! Can you believe it? Yet she's playing with the big boys and making them look silly!"

"I remember her! She's the one that fought Tokoyami in the Sports Festival. Poor Tokoyami was kind of mentally messed up for a while after that." Izuka said.

At the mentions of the festival, Haru made a guilty face; "Ah… about that. I'm sorry about what happened at the festival; if I had known my idiot brother would take me heading to Europe as a chance to get close to you, I wouldn't have gone."

Izuka shrugged; "It's okay. He didn't do anything bad."

"That reminds me." Toshi piped up, "Did you get back in contact with him? You mentioned you two might try to have some contact."

Izuka nodded half-heartedly; "Kind of. We haven't seen or spoken to each other, but he has sent me a few texts." she explained, pulling out her phone and showing the conversation to the four adults.

It was fairly stilted; all of Hisashi's messages were generic "Hello" messages asking how she was and were usually full of emojis or extreme attempts at sounding peppy and positive, which didn't really suit the man. All of Izuka's responses had been awkward acknowledgements and half-hearted questions about Hisashi's own health and well-being. It was clear to the adults that Izuka still wasn't comfortable with Hisashi, and in truth, Izuka was only making an effort because she felt bad for the man, and because she sort of hoped to reconcile like Endeavor and Shoto.

"Hmm, well I'll keep an eye on him all the same." Haru said with a determined nod, "Now on to more pleasant matters! I come bearing gifts!" he said, pulling out a couple of small boxes and handing them to his two nieces. Izuka accepted hers with a thankful smile, while Eri took hers like it was some sacred object. They were nearly identical little white boxes with ribbons, green for Izuka and red for Eri.

At Izuka's urging, Eri carefully opened hers and looked inside to find a small charm bracelet, like the one Izuka wore. Eri's bracelet had charms in the shapes of rabbits, apples, stars, angels and feathers, as well as a single phoenix shaped charm. As Eri looked at it, her eyes shone like an entire galaxy was spinning inside each of the scarlet orbs. She had never been given a gift before, especially not one so precious.

"Thank you!" Eri smiled tearfully, pushing her nervousness aside enough to hug Haru, who squealed (in a manner similar to Izuka, though slightly more manly) and squeezed the adorable girl to him.

"You're very welcome! That bracelet was one I originally had made for Izuka, in case hers was destroyed by a Villain, but I thought you deserved one and I didn't want to make you wait. The Charms were all picked out for you last night." Haru explained.

The second that Inko, Izuka and Toshi had signed the papers to officially foster Eri, Agent Nest had left to file them, calling Haru soon after to let him know. As a result, Haru had been running around for most of the night and early morning preparing the gift for Eri and updating the gifts for Toshi and Inko.

After helping Eri put her new bracelet on, Izuka opened her own gift and gasped as she pulled out a brand new golden Phoenix Pendent for her choker! Her original one had been damaged at the USJ, and while Tsuyu had recovered it, the pendent was warped into a feather-like shape. Izuka was actually still wearing it, as when she wasn't in costume, she clipped the feather pendent to a thin silver chain and wore it as a necklace. Haru smiled wistfully at it; "I understand you don't call yourself Phoenix any more, and I understand why. When your mother told me the reasons, it made me so proud to hear how much you've grown… but I had to keep the Phoenix symbol for the pendent. So you never forget how far you've come."

Izuka smiled tearfully and replaced her old pendent with the new one, wearing the gold Phoenix proudly on her chest. It shone brightly and the girl was extremely thankful. However, she didn't want to just discard the old one, so she came up with an idea. Rummaging through some of the bags containing their purchases for Eri, she found a plain white hair ribbon. Threading the ribbon onto the pendent, Izuka gently tied Eri's hair up with it, giving the adorable girl a little pony tail with the ribbon and damaged pendent as the bow holding it in place. As she finished, she smiled up at her Uncle; "Thank you so much. I promise, I won't forget how far I've come, and I'll keep pushing onward… after all, it's thanks to that I could save Eri. Go Plus Ultra, right?"

Eri looked up at Izuka with awe, happily swinging her head to feel the wait of her second gift, "Plus Ultra?" Eri asked with curious eyes.

"Its the Motto of our school. Plus Ultra: Go Beyond. It's because Heroes are the people that everyone relies on, so we can't just do our best… we have to do even better than that. We have to go beyond our limits, go beyond our best and save the day." Izuka patted Eri's head, "That is what Plus Ultra means."

Eri's eyes shone. She remembered how Endeavor had kept fighting despite his wounds, how Shoto had taken a nasty blow and kept fighting… how the Bad People had crushed Izuka's arms and legs, and yet Izuka had twisted her broken limbs painfully just to cradle a frightened Eri. Heroes were amazing… her Big Sister was amazing! Izuka had done all that before Eri was her sister, before Eri meant anything more to her than just another person who needed help. Plus Ultra really was the code Izuka lived by, and Eri was beyond thankful for it… she wondered if she could live by it too someday.

As Eri and Izuka spoke, Haru took the opportunity to hand a gift to Toshinori and Inko; a pair of GPS. "GPS? What are these for?" Inko asked curiously as her husband fiddled with it and began exploring the settings. Suddenly, Toshi managed to get to the map screen and two little icons appeared; one depicting a cartoonish head shot of Izuka and the other depicting a similar style of Eri's head (though it was a bit less detailed than Izuka's).

"I worked on that all night. Graphical design is tough..." Haru laughed, "I had this finished a while ago, but had to rush the assets for the addition of little Eri. Those GPS are trackers for your daughters. Tap the button depicting the daughter you want to track, and it'll hone in on a signal released by a tracker on their bodies. No other device can detect the frequency of those trackers, so they're safe." he explained.

Inko and Toshi's eyes widened and they suddenly realised that the pendent and charm bracelet were more than simple gifts. They were things that both girls would wear always, even in hero costume. It was a wise gift, since criminals were after both daughters. This way, if either was taken, they could be found quickly, as the GPS was designed with the Kintaro Group's best satellite technology and could found the trackers almost anywhere on the planet. They could only be hidden if they were extremely deep underground or in a room lined with lead.

After the gifts were handed out, the day moved quickly for little Eri. Haru joined the group for their visit to the toy shop and he ended up having more fun than even the children! After some prodding, Eri picked out a large number of toys, most of them either Lego sets or Hero figures, as Izuka had managed to imbue the little girl with a love of Heroes, especially All-Might and Endeavor (Eri had been told after she was fostered that Toshinori was All-Might, and that Izuka was immortal, though she wasn't told any other secrets). In a flash of deja vu from her experiences with Kota Izumi, Eri was disappointed that Izuka didn't have her own figures yet, so the little girl decided to make a proxy of her own by buying a Princess Knight figure with wings and another with a Bunny Girl style armour and planning to mix and match the armour and accessories to match Izuka as closely as possible (a highly vaunted feature of the Princess Knight line). Izuka was flattered and decided to ask Katsuki to make a proper one for her. After the toy shop was a decoration store, were they bought some colourful bedspreads, posters and a small carpet to decorate Eri's room at the Dorms.

Finally, with a long day of shopping, playing and meeting new people behind her, Eri was tucked into her new bed, wearing her new pyjamas, in her new room with its new decorations and with her new Sister, Mama and Papa happily surrounding her, wishing her goodnight. For Little Eri, she decided that today was the best day ever.


	9. The Chaos of Hosu Part 1

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 9: The Hero Killer Part 1**

When Izuka awoke the next day, she felt oddly sad. Her day off with Eri had been fun, but now she had to head back to Endeavor's Agency to finish her internship. It was the fourth day of the Internship Week, so she'd only be gone for two more days, but the girl didn't want to leave Eri yet, even if her little sister was in safe hands. She spent much of the early morning just cuddling with the adorable pale haired child, until Endeavor finally came to U.A to pick her up.

Both he and Shoto were in their costumes, and both were in perfect condition. Endeavor had recovered completely, only the massive scar on his face remaining from his battle with Gammon. Endeavor politely allowed Izuka to have a proper goodbye with her family before they left.

Izuka knelt down in front of Eri, and petted the girl's head; "Okay Eri, I'm going to be finishing my internship. I'll only be gone for two days, and I'll be back on the weekend. I'll spend the whole weekend with you then!" she promised.

Eri looked up at her tearfully. The little girl hated that her big sister had to go away, Izuka had become like her security blanket, providing Eri with confidence. Still, the little girl didn't want to be a pest, and she'd still have her Mama, Papa and Uncle Shota, as well as the Nice Principal Nezu to keep her company, so she sniffled and wiped her tears and hugged Izuka tightly; "Okay… Have a good day at work!" she said, putting on her cutest and biggest smile.

"Thank you, Lil Sis! Mama and Papa will take good care of you." Izuka smiled, kissing the girl's forehead, before standing and hugging her parents goodbye.

After that, Izuka (dressed in her Hero Costume) hopped in Endeavor's car (driven by an employee of his agency) and the trio of heroes drove off. As they drove, Endeavor turned to his two interns; "Right, I have some things to say to you both. In light of your actions in the Overhaul and Gammon fight, you've both ranked up within the Agency. Seraphim, you've gone from Rank 66 to Rank 62, and Celsius, you've gone from Rank 67 to Rank 63. As I promised, if you both reach the Top 60 by the end of the week, you'll receive a prize."

Izuka and Shoto both grinned and nodded. It may only be the rankings within the Endeavor Agency, but it still felt good to rise up! Endeavor allowed them a moment to bask in their achievements, before continuing on; "Now, since our patrol was cut off, I had originally intended for us to continue it today, however we have received a request."

"A Request? For us specifically, or for you?" Shoto asked.

"Technically for the entire agency. I will be leading a team taking on the request, and you two will be sticking with me. After the fight the other day, I trust you both to have my back." the Flame Hero smirked, "The Request comes in from the Chief of Police; Kenji Tsuragamae. Since Overhaul has been captured, there has been a lot of reports of Eight Precepts Gang Activity going on in Hosu. Unfortunately, we're also aware that Hosu is were the Hero Killer has set up shop. To top it off, we believe that the League of Villains is involved with both these entities. These three facts, combined with the fact that Hosu's police force is stretched thin led to them asking for help. We'll be supporting Ingenium, Native and Manual in their work to secure the area and make it safe." Endeavor explained.

Izuka listened carefully, "Is it really okay for me to be involved here? I'm under orders not to go looking for any of these guys." she said, remembering her promise to All-Might after getting Gran Torino's letter.

"It'll be fine." Endeavor said, "Overhaul was the strongest person in the Eight Precepts and I'm certain he was stronger than the Hero Killer or that Shigaraki brat. Besides, we aren't hunting them, just making the area safe."

Shoto nodded and gently nudged Izuka with his shoulder; "We'll be okay. The three of us have survived a real monster, after all."

Izuka smiled back at him, but remained silent. She didn't feel like defeating Overhaul should make them too confident. It bothered her that they had been caught so unaware, and that they needed Eri's power to help them win. She needed to get stronger!

Soon, they arrived at Endeavor's Agency and met up with a small team of six sidekicks, including Embright, Blade Jester (his costume repaired) and Flare Drake. The other three sidekicks were two men and a woman; the men were obviously twins and both were bald with scales on their heads in place of hair and a single devil horn each, one twin's having it on the right and the other having it on the left. These were the Diablo Twins: Diablo Red and Diablo Green, named for the colour flames they could produce. They shared the same quirk: Horn Blaze, which allowed them to use their horns to shoot flames in a similar fashion to Eri's quirk. They both wore the same costume; a muscle shirt and military style cargo pants and combat boots, though their costumes were coloured to match their names. The Woman was named Sardonyx and her quirk (also called Sardonyx) allowed her to crystallise her bodily fluids (be it sweat, saliva, blood etc.) into small gem-like stones that would grow rapidly when exposed to heat. Placing one of those stones in an open flame would cause it to grow from the size of a peanut to the size of a boulder in a matter of seconds, though the fluid used to make it effected how much it could grow (with blood being the most effective). Sardonyx was a dark skinned woman with pitch black hair and dark eyes, due to her mixed ancestry as half Japanese and half Ethiopian. Her Hero Costume was reflective of this, being a short sleeved and short hem Kimono (for freedom of movement) in the red, yellow and green of the Ethiopian flag.

Endeavor introduced the three sidekicks to his Interns, and almost immediately, the Diablo Twins surrounded Izuka with cheeky grins.

"Oho, there she is… The girl that gave the boss and Jester a good kicking!" Red smirked.

"We were the ones in the Security booth when you went wild. It was a good show~!" Green added.

The two were fairly harmless, as they were actually pranksters, so Izuka took their words in the spirit they were meant and just chuckled nervously, "Hehe sorry for the trouble… I won't go crazy like that again." she promised.

"That's good. I saw the tapes; a power like yours is very strong, but must be handled with care." Sardonyx nodded approvingly. While the twins were jovial and sounded younger than they were, Sardonyx was mature and her voice was deeper than most women, though it carried a kind and almost melodious motherly tone.

They then turned to Shoto, and to his surprise, Sardonyx bowed her head; "It is good to see you, Young Master. Do you remember me?" she asked.

Shoto frowned; "I'm sorry, but no. Have we met?"

"Not officially." Sardonyx smiled, "I didn't attend a Hero Course in school and instead attended a college course to become a Hero. I worked for your family as a maid to help pay the tuition. When I got my license, your father hired me."

The boy's eyes widened, he did remember! Sardonyx looked quite a bit like a maid that he'd known years ago, back when he was only three or four. She'd left before his quirk manifested, so he had forgotten about her in the aftermath of all that had happened. Funnily enough, though Shoto's father was very traditional when it came to Japanese Decor and food, most of his staff wasn't Japanese, or at least not fully Japanese. Endeavor liked bringing in talent from other places where he could.

"I think I remember… you were the one who always made those sweet rice balls that Fuyumi and Mom loved!" Shoto smiled.

Sardonyx face lit up, "I'm glad you remember me! It has been a very long time."

Endeavor allowed the socialising to continue for a few minutes, before he cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. In an instant, the team of Sidekicks snapped to attention and the two Interns dutifully looked to him, awaiting their orders.

"Alright people, here's the plan. We'll be heading to Hosu in three different cars and patrolling three different areas. I will take the Interns and patrol the centre of the district. Flare Drake, you'll take the Diablo Twins and patrol the North East. Sardonyx, you'll take Blade Jester and Embright and patrol the South West. If you encounter trouble, deal with it as you see fit and call for help if you need it. I won't have any Lone Wolf bullshit!" Endeavor declared, glaring a bit at Drake as he said it. "Check in every hour and we'll reconvene in the middle of Hosu when we're ready to move out. If you encounter the Hero Killer, do NOT engage him by yourselves, call the other teams. This bastard took down Ingenium; some Sidekicks and Interns aren't going to be enough to take him, at least not without serious injury. We do this by the book; no games." the man said strictly.

"YES SIR!" The group shouted and immediately headed out, getting into the waiting cars in their teams and heading to Hosu.

It was a couple of hours before they arrived in Hosu and began their patrol, and this time, Izuka was much more alert. The encounter with Eri and Overhaul had put her on guard, plus, she had the creepy feeling of being watched…

 **[HOSU ROOFTOPS]**

Little did Izuka know, she really was being watched. On the roof tops directly above where she, Endeavor and Shoto were patrolling, Tomura Shigaraki stood staring down at them, his creepy grin hidden by his hand mask. Kurogiri stood behind him, watching the heroes stoically.

"How perfect. That Hero Killer and the Eight Precepts… they've drawn the Little Bird out just as Sensei said they would. She even did us the favour of knocking out that bastard Chisaki." Shigaraki smirked.

Kurogiri nodded. This had been the plan from the beginning; the League had no intention of using the Precepts or Stain as actual allies. Their deal was just a big lie to make their Villain Rivals come out of the shadows and take attention off the League whilst forcing the Little Bird to come out from hiding within U.A. Sensei had perfectly predicted that the Precepts wanted to destroy the Little Bird's Quirk, so would try to hunt her down and force her to take action, while Stain would be capable of fighting her and potentially disabling her for long enough to capture. Everything had gone perfectly; Chisaki was captured and the Precepts were swarming around Hosu to draw the Heroes to Stain so he could help them get revenge, but none realised that Tomura and the League would be waiting in the wings to swoop in at the last moment.

"The only problem is Endeavor and the other heroes." Kurogiri said, "We knew Phoenix was in Endeavor's possession this week, and that he'd likely bring her with him to hunt the Hero Killer, but we weren't expecting him to bring Six Powerful Sidekicks."

Tomura hummed; "True… that bastard Hero Killer is way too weak to stand up to all these Heroes, and the Precepts are even weaker since all their executives are holed up at their HQ… There's no way we'll be able to swipe the Little Bird like this. So let's cause some extra chaos and give ourselves a bonus chance." he smiled villainously.

Kurogiri nodded and opened a warp gate, from which seven large Noumu emerged. The first Noumu was a staple of all League Operations involving Phoenix; the Anti-Phoenix Noumu (fixed up from it's injuries at the USJ). The second (Codenamed: Gorilla) was similar to the Anti All-Might Noumu from the USJ, but instead of a beak, it's jaw was human and it simply had no head above the lower jaw, just an exposed brain. The third (Codenamed: Gargoyle) was a yellow skinned Noumu with a pseudo gas mask and large draconic wings. The fourth (Codenamed: Slender) was a pale green and had four eyes and a lanky, crouched body, but was otherwise normal looking. The other three were new creations, intended to be experimental and were failures that the League didn't mind losing. One was an experimental Animal Noumu; Codenamed: Nue it was a Tiger with a Monkey-like face and only a sliver of it's brain visible through a crack in the forehead. The next was a nearly skeletal Noumu, little more than an elongated human skeleton with skin stretched so tightly over it that the skin had become almost transparent. It was codenamed: Reaper, and it's head was an actual skull with no eyes and the brain visible through the eye sockets. Reaper was also unusual in that it wore no pants like the other Noumu, but appeared to be genderless. The Last of the Noumu was Codenamed: Hydra, and was a failed Anti-Endeavor Noumu. It was identical to the Anti All-Might Noumu, but instead of a bird like beak, it had a snake like snout and two massive fangs that emerged from it. It's skin was pitch black and upon closer inspection, was actually a series of hexagonal scales.

Tomura regarded the Seven Noumu with smirks, then began giving orders. "Anti-Phoenix; follow the Little Bird in secret and capture her at the first safe opportunity. Gargoyle, circle above and the instant Anti-Phoenix gets her, swoop in and extract them both. Slender, Gorilla, target the Heroes patrolling the north. Nue, Reaper, target the Heroes patrolling the south. Hydra, attack Endeavor, let's see if you have any chance."

The Seven Noumu silently flew, jumped or ran off to perform their duties, each completely unthinking and remorseless.

Tomura smiled happily as he saw the chaos beginning immediately; things were about to get so much more fun!

 **[HOSU, WITH TENYA]**

Tenya Iida, Hero Name: Blue Zephyr, had been patrolling Hosu for three full days now and hadn't had the slightest bit of luck in finding the Hero Killer. He had kept his eyes and ears open as he dutifully followed Manual and listened to his friendly lecturing, but he'd not seen or heard even the slightest hint of the damned Villain. Manual seemed to think that since the whole of Hosu was on high alert since the Ingenium attack, Villains were reluctant to come out of hiding, but Tenya knew… he knew that the Hero Killer was still out there, skulking in the shadows like the monster he was, just waiting to slay another Hero.

Stain had maimed or killed at least four heroes in every one of the seven locations he'd appeared in before, but so far in Hosu, only Ingenium had been attacked, though thanks to Izuka, the man was already back on his feet and ready to work.

Tenya clenched his fists tightly. He still remembered all the feelings from that day; the despair at seeing his brother so badly hurt, the grief in hearing Tensei forced to admit he couldn't be a Hero any longer, the misery in his mother's eyes as she looked at her poor wounded son. That had been replaced by hope when he'd called Izuka and she'd been able to heal Tensei, but that hadn't erased the horrible thoughts and feelings from Tenya's mind, in fact, it only added to them as he was forced to remember the fear in the girl's eyes as she confessed she had to die to save Tensei, and the awful, disgusting feeling of dragging the scalpel across her throat.

Stain would pay for all of those feelings. Tenya would avenge his brother, avenge Izuka's suffering and avenge the dozens of other heroes that Stain had killed and crippled!

Finally, on the fourth day, Tenya got his chance…

He and Manual were patrolling again, this time bolstered by heroes from Endeavor's Agency. Tenya idly wondered if he'd get a chance to run into Izuka and Todoroki, but his thoughts were immediately captured by the sudden explosions and screams than rang out all over the city.

Manual snapped to attention; "Seriously? Someone's attacking now of all times? With all these heroes around!? Zephyr, come on! To the Crime Scene!" Manual declared, running towards the closest explosion. Tenya was about to chase after him, when he he suddenly heard a quiet cry from the alley to his right. Peering in, Tenya's eyes widened as he saw what he had been looking for…

At the end of the Alleyway, Stain stood with a sneer on his face, blade in one hand and his other pressing the head of Native, a Pro Hero, against the wall. Native was injured and completely unable to move as Stain forced his frozen body to it's knees.

"So noisy… what are those League Brats up to?" Stain muttered, "I'll deal with him later, but first..." he gripped his sword, "I'll complete my objective here."

Native growled; "Bastard… I can't move!? I'll get you…!"

Stain sneered; "A real hero would pick their last words more carefully." he declared, flicking his blade back to prepare for the swing.

Tenya, seeing this, felt the red mist descend over his mind and he dashed at Stain, blasting into his Plus Ultra Mode and all the way up to Sixth Gear. He leapt at the last instant to deliver a kick to the unsuspecting villain, but Stain was craftier than Tenya expected, and the man swung the blade directly at Tenya's neck. Thanks to the speed he was going at, Tenya was able to outspeed the slash and only got his helmet and glasses knocked off, but his kick hit home, slamming into Stain's gut and sending the man skidding back several feet.

Tenya forced his Gear down to third, causing his chest to ache painfully. The Young Man had discovered before the Sports Festival that he could force himself to go up more than one gear at a time without working up to it, but it caused him pain. In his training to take down Stain, he learned that the opposite was also possible, and he could forcibly lower his gear, at the cost of chest pain if he was using Plus Ultra Mode.

Stain recovered quickly and took on a defensive stance, ready to parry any more blows. In doing so, he got a good look at Tenya and frowned; "You're Iida… How lucky. I've seen you hunting me all week. I thought I'd have to take you out after killing that other fake, but you went and came to me. How considerate of you."

Tenya growled; "You don't even consider me a threat, do you!? You know I've been pursuing you, and yet you still dare to mock me!?"

Stain pointed his blade at Tenya, the Killer's eyes growing cold; "Be careful boy, that mouth of yours will get you in trouble. Your fate is already sealed; save yourself some pain and give up."

Tenya prepared to attack again, but not before he said his piece; "I will never give up! I am the younger brother of a truly amazing hero, someone you maimed and left for dead! If not for a dear friend, he would never save another life again! Here me well, Villain and remember my name for the short time you have left; I am Blue Zephyr, brother of Ingenium and comrade of Seraphim, and I will make you pay for the suffering you caused them!"

Stain glared at the boy: "Seraphim… I don't recognise that name." he muttered, until it hit him… this boy had mentioned a dear friend who saved his brother; someone he already knew as Midoriya. The Phoenix Girl… was she this Seraphim? The name made the Killer smirk; "So, she took the name of an Angel… interesting, though it changes nothing. You will die, but first, I will have you call Izuka Midoriya; I have something planned for her."

"LIKE HELL! I WILL NEVER LET YOU NEAR HER!" Tenya roared, charging at the Hero Killer.

"Your compliance isn't necessary." Stain sneered.

Tenya kicked upwards with full force, narrowly missing Stain as the villain leapt above the kick. As the Killer was over Tenya, he kicked his spiked boot into Tenya's right shoulder, though Tenya (remembering some of the battles from the Sports Festival) turned and rolled with the kick, pivoting on his foot. As a result, the spikes of Stain's boot scraped across the plate armour of Tenya's arm and tore the cloth beneath, but didn't touch the skin. Stain instead used the boy's limb as a platform for him to jump off, flipping completely behind Tenya and slicing at his legs. Tenya jumped over the sweeping blade, but it had been a feign as the moment he was in the air, Stain mimicked Tenya's earlier pivot and kicked Tenya in the chest, sending him flying back and smashing into the wall only a few feet from where Native was sat, stunned and paralysed.

Tenya coughed as he was winded by the impact, but he had no time to recover. Stain had used the sole of his boot in the kick, so he hadn't drawn any blood, but this time he was running at the Young Hero with his sword. Tenya saw the move coming, but his options were limited; Stain was going for an upward slash, so Tenya couldn't jump over it, he couldn't run forward and he couldn't dodge right because that was where Native was, so the boy was forced to try and run to the left. Unfortunately, Stain anticipated this and the moment Tenya made a single stride to the left, a small blade was thrown with such force that it pierced through Tenya's palm and pinned his left arm to the wall. Tenya cried out in pain, but it wasn't over yet; Stain completed his original upward slash and sliced at Tenya's chest, cutting through his armour and leaving a shallow cut on the boy's chest that went from his right hip to his left shoulder. Before Tenya could even scream from this latest pain, Stain threw a second knife and pinned his right hand to the wall as well, then drew two short swords and stabbed them into the ground, piercing through Tenya's boots to pin his feet to the ground.

Tenya roared with pain and anger, furious that he had been so effortlessly trapped, essentially nailed to to the ground with his arms spread out and nailed to the wall of the alley. With all his strength, he struggled at the bindings, but before he could pull the blades free from where they had pierced, Stain licked his bloody sword and Tenya was suddenly paralysed; unable to move anything below the neck.

"Bastard!" Tenya snarled, only for Stain to backhand him across the face.

"You lose, Boy. A Fake Hero that is still just a student is no threat to me. I'll admit, your instincts and speed were better than I expected, but it mattered not in the end." Stain declared, "So, you claim I harmed both Ingenium and Seraphim? I assume Seraphim is the Hero Name chosen by Midoriya, correct?" Tenya's furious glare answered that question, "Let me guess; she died to heal your brother."

Tenya's face turned ashen and his eyes widened; "How could you possibly know that!?"

Stain sneered; "The League of Villains reached out to me to capture her for them. They let me know about her powers. Tell me, Boy, have you heard the expression; "Cats have Nine Lives?"

"Of course I have, Villain!" Tenya spat, confused.

"Oh really? Then tell me, how many lives does Midoriya have?" Stain asked coldly. Tenya spluttered, completely unable to formulate an answer, so Stain continued; "Did you ever consider that her Resurrections were limited? That she could only die so many times? What if she only had a single life left, and you killed her to save your brother. Could you and the other fake heroes accept that? Would you have let her sacrifice herself, if you'd know there was a limit?"

Tenya froze, horrified. What if Stain was right? He had spent time with the League and they were the only ones to ever experiment with Izuka's resurrection (through repeatedly murdering her) so what if they had learned she had a limit on how many times she could come back!? He thought, horrified, about what would have happened if he'd killed Izuka for his brother, only for her to never come back. He'd never forgive himself; his life would be over along with hers!

Stain looked at the boy like he was slime beneath the Killer's boot. "That's why you're a fake. Both you and your brother are weak, pathetic posers! Gallivanting about in fancy armour, talking about your Heroic Family Lineage, as if being a Hero was just a family business or some kind of blood line! You allowed a girl, a child, to sacrifice her potentially limited lives for the sake of healing a man that didn't deserve it! What kind of hero would do that!?"

"SHUT UP, MONSTER!" Tenya roared, tears beginning to build at the corners of his eyes; "I never asked her to do that… she chose it herself. The damage you did to my brother's spinal cord would have crippled him for the rest of his life! He'd never be a Hero again! But Izuka saved him! My Brother, and my friend… they've both saved so many people already! Ingenium is a Leader and Seraphim is an Angel! They're both great Heroes!"

Tenya remembered watching his older brother when he was a child, cheering him as he saved lives. He remembered as Izuka fought to save their lives at the USJ… he remembered all the deeds they'd done and he glared at Stain with burning hatred. "They're both my Heroes and inspired my dreams! I'll kill you for what you did!"

Stain pointed a longer finger at the wounded Native; "Save him first."

The Boy scowled, his expression of pain clearly readable. Stain continued; "Forget about yourself and your petty revenge and try saving others. You're wielding all that power of yours for your own sake. That's why you're a fake; you caught me by surprise and managed to seperate me from Native for a few moments. With your speed, you could have grabbed him and run, saving his life and escaping with your own. Instead, you trapped yourself in your hatred and arrogance, thinking you could defeat me where dozens of full fledged heroes and your own brother failed despite you being just a trainee with what, 2 or 3 months of education? Actions like that makes you the furthest thing from a Hero!" Stain drew another blade, this one thin and short, from his pocket, "That's why you have to die… but first, I need you to call for Midoriya. I know she's here in Hosu, but it seems that League Brat is causing a commotion… so we'll need to be nice and loud." the Villain declared, before suddenly stabbing the short blade into Tenya's shoulder and twisting it.

The Alley was filled by Tenya's screams.

 **[MINUTES BEFORE, WITH IZUKA]**

Izuka had been patrolling with Endeavor and Shoto around the centre of Hosu for only a few minutes when things suddenly went to hell. Explosions began echoing across the city and people screamed as flames roared and rubbled flew in every direction. Civilians were running away as best they could, but the explosions had damaged the roads and sealed some off, forcing them all to funnel through the centre of town to the only safe escape route.

Izuka began working over time, darting about and absorbing the flames while using her strength to open the pathways blocked by debris, while Shoto used his ice to freeze buildings close to collapse and Endeavor shouted and signalled, getting people's attention and herding them to the escape routes Izuka was opening. It was chaotic, but things were working well until the cause of the incident became clear; a pair of Villains appeared in the centre of the area, looking around with vacant expressions and exposed brains.

Noumus.

The first was a yellowish flying Noumu, who didn't seem too interested in attacking and just flew around, occasionally dropping a small explosive from the legs of it's pants. The other was much like the Noumu from the USJ, though it had a snake-like head instead of a beak.

Seeing Izuka's expression of shock and fear, Shoto yelled to his father; "These are Noumus; servants of the league!"

"I know, I remember these from All for One's base." Endeavor said, glaring at the monsters. "Seraphim, your powers are best suited to keeping the civilians safe. Evacuate the area and heal anything you can. Celsius, keep your distance and support me. I'll deal with these two." the man cracked his knuckles and allowed his flames to flare outward in an intimidating display, which was sadly wasted on the brain dead monsters.

Izuka snapped herself out of her funk and activated Angelic Aura, snapping her Mental Fortress into place and allowing her mind to take on it's battle mode. "Endeavor, the Black Skinned Noumus are very dangerous. They get that colour because of they possess a Hyper-Regeneration quirk! You'll need to destroy the brain or turn it to ash to defeat it."

Endeavor nodded; "Got it, now get going!" he yelled, leaping at the Snake-faced Noumu, his son right behind him.

The Girl began leading crowds of Civilians out of the battle area and to the safe zones, were local police and the EMTs were setting up a small operational HQ to help support the Heroes and protect the Civilians. Izuka made several trips in and out of the battle area to gather more trapped civilians and lead them to safety, occasionally being forced to enter burning buildings or shield people from explosions in order to save them. All of Hosu had gone up in an inferno, and Izuka was sure that the two Noumu she'd seen weren't the only ones. As she made another trip into the danger zone to look for stragglers, she heard a hero shouting.

"Tenya! Where are you!?" screamed Manual, the Normal Hero. "Damn it, how could he run off at a time like this!?"

Izuka gulped. Noumus were attacking Hosu… Noumus work for the League of Villains… the Hero Killer is in Hosu and he too works with the league. The Girl paled and felt a cold sweat build on her face… Tenya wouldn't… he wouldn't go after Stain would he!?

Temporarily blinded by a manic fear for her friend, Izuka began flying through the streets at high speeds, searching the alleys. She knew that 60% of Stain's victims were all found in dark alleys or behind blind corners in quiet areas, so she was searching there first, desperately hoping to find her friend before it was too late. Izuka tried to open her link with the boy, but for some reason, he link failed to open… this was like when a person made a phone call and it kept ringing with no answer, so it didn't hurt like when her link was rejected, but it was off-putting to say the least. Either Tenya was ignoring her link, or was too distracted to notice it. Still, even while closed, Izuka could focus on a link to find the person (within a certain range) so she was able to narrow down her search.

Suddenly, a loud scream pierced the air and Izuka felt her stomach sink; "TENYA!" she cried, flying full speed towards the scream. In seconds, she was in the alley and saw Tenya pinned to the wall, still screaming as Stain, the Hero Killer, twisted a knife in the boy's shoulder.

Seeing red, Izuka darted in, shutting off her wings and instead bouncing from wall to wall, ensuring her jumps were all different speeds, heights and distances to prevent Stain from seeing a pattern. The Hero Killer was completely unable to defend against Izuka's fist as she buried it into his cheek, her flames singeing the skin with a hiss.

"5% HOLY SMASH!" she cried as her blow hit, smashing Stain several feet away from both Tenya and Native. The Girl landed in front of Tenya and flared her wings.

"I-Izuka!?" Tenya gasped out, almost dismissing her as a delusion caused by his pain.

"It's okay now Tenya, I'm here!" Izuka declared.


	10. The Chaos of Hosu Part 2

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 10: The Chaos of Hosu Part 2**

Izuka stood in the Alleyway, her Angelic Aura on full blast around her. Stain was several feet away, slowly pulling himself back up and rubbing his jaw and the burn on his cheek. Native gasped at seeing the arrival of another young Hero, while Tenya looked on with shock and horror.

"Thank goodness I got here in time." Izuka said with a sigh of relief. She used Stain's momentary distraction to carefully observe the two injured Heroes. Native was mostly unharmed, with only a single slash on his shoulder; it was bleeding, but not deep enough to be of serious concern. Tenya's condition was much worse; he had a fairly shallow cut going from his right hip to his left shoulder, but he also had knives through his palms and feet, pinning him in position, not to mention the knife still embedded in his shoulder. Izuka felt disgusted… Stain had been very careful to avoid any major blood vessels or organs in his attacks against Tenya, maximising his pain whilst minimising his chances of dying.

Stain righted himself and smirked. Finally, his target had appeared. Tenya shouted to Izuka; "Izuka, why are you here!?"

"I've been scouring the area, following my Links to try and find you." Izuka said, her eyes now locked on Stain. Thanks to her new mental technique, her emotions were muted, but she was still quite angry with both Stain and Tenya. The former for hurting her friend and so many other heroes, and the latter for foolishly hunting him down. In a flash, Izuka shot a fireball at Stain to force him to back off, giving her the chance to pull the blades out of Tenya's body. No longer pinned, but with Stain's quirk still active, Tenya slumped to the floor.

Izuka turned up her heat, melting the now discarded knives to avoid giving Stain his weapons back, then pulled the heat away to solidify the molten metal into cool, shapeless lumps of steel. "Can you move? If you can, make for the main road, a lot of heroes are there fighting some Noumus. Get them to come back us up; I'll try to protect Native until then." she ordered.

Tenya scowled; "I can't move. He cut me then I froze… it's likely his quirk."

Izuka nodded; "So that's how it works, he needs to cut you? That might prove a problem..." she muttered that last part. She could block a lot with her flames, but actual physical objects were tough to defend against. If it was just Tenya, Izuka would have grabbed him and fled, but with Native here too, she doubted she could fly fast enough to escape, plus she didn't want to let the Hero Killer get away.

"Izuka, you need to flee!" Tenya suddenly screamed at her; "The Villain is working with the League! He wants to kidnap you and take you to them! He knows your quirk!" The Girl gulped, but didn't budge; she knew already that Stain was working with the League: Gran Torino's letter had confirmed it, but it was still worrying to have it confirmed.

Tenya had more to say however; "Please, you need to go! This has nothing to do with you! I won't let you sacrifice yourself again!"

At that moment, Stain began slowly approaching the two young Heroes, his eyes dark and full of hellish fire. "A friend shows up and proclaims they're here to help you. It's a good line, fitting for a real Hero, but it's my duty to purge the fakes, including these two..." the Killer pointed to Tenya, then Native, "I know your power, Phoenix. If we are forced to fight in earnest..." a wave of malevolence spread across the alley as the Hero Killer seemed to exude pure killing intent; "The weaker of us will be culled… I can kill you without consequence so, what will you do now?"

Despite her muted emotions and how used to villains and malevolence Izuka was, she couldn't prevent the shudder that went up her spine. Stain was unlike any villain she'd faced; unlike Shigaraki, Overhaul or All for One, his evil actions seemed to be entirely unselfish in nature. He didn't kill because he liked it or for his own sake, but because he truly thought it would be for the betterment of society. In a strange way, Izuka thought this was almost worse; how could a person who believes that they're justified be redeemed?

Ultimately, Izuka decided it didn't matter as she took up a combat stance. Stain had committed crimes and had to be brought to justice. Izuka was no fool; someone that could cripple Ingenium was not to be trifled with, so she began activating links.

" _Link Up!"_ she thought, feeling her links connecting. She didn't dare risk going over her limit, though she could now safely link with 7 people instead of 5 thanks to her training at U.A. She linked with Aizawa to alert him that she and Tenya needed help while also obtaining the means to counter Stain's quirk. She also linked with Eijiro and Shoji; the former to give her a physical defence to Stain's blades and the latter to allow her to regenerate her limbs if Stain managed to slice her up. The last two links she made were with Tenya (so they could communicate without giving themselves away to the enemy) and Shoto (so the boy could warn Endeavor).

When Tenya felt the link, he accepted it but screamed out loud to the girl; "NO! I told you to run! You've already been hurt once because of that monster, I won't allow you to get hurt again!"

Izuka frowned; "Well then you better get up and fight then. How is a Hero supposed to just abandon someone in need!? I have a LOT I want to say to you later…" she said, the scolding clear in her tone, "But first, I need to save you and Native! I announced it to the world at the Sports Festival; I am Here, and I will save everyone! No amount of pain or dying will stop me!"

Stain grinned widely; "Oh ho! Good! That's what I like to see! Come then, Hero! The boy tells me you go by Seraphim now. Well then, come and defeat me, Seraphim!" he yelled, running forward and slashing his long blade at Izuka.

Izuka ducked beneath the swing, her small stature giving her an advantage. As the blade swung above her, she burst forward, closing the distance between herself and Stain, making the longer blade less effective. Instantly, Stain's other hand drew a serrated knife and slashed it forward, but Izuka simply ducked and rolled beneath this swing too, rolling between Stain's legs and using Eijiro's quirk to harden her skin as she did. As it was weaker for her, being only a Linked Quirk, she could barely harden her arms and legs to rock-level hardness and couldn't harden her torso or head at all, though that was enough to stop herself from receiving any glancing cuts if her dodges were a bit too slow or short. Stain spun to slash again with his katana, but instead of dodging, Izuka just stood quickly and, with her back to the man, summoned her wings. The flaming wings suddenly bursting from her back startled and burned Stain, blasting him back with the force of the summoning.

With a bit of distance between them again, Izuka began creating tiny balls of flame, all different temperatures and thus different colours, before shooting them into the sky where they exploded like fireworks. This was Izuka's signal; letting everyone know where she was and that she needed assistance. She didn't know Hosu well enough to guide anyone to her through the links, so whenever she got a chance in the fight, she used her signal flames again.

As Stain turned to look at Izuka, he briefly glanced at his knife and then back at Izuka. She had a small cut on her shoulder where he'd managed to scratch her as she rolled between his legs, but there was no blood on the knife. Her hardened skin had been barely scratched. Izuka took the initiative to attack again, flying upward and then dive-bombing Stain whilst coated in flame.

"Holy Comet!" she cried as she slammed her head into Stain's, dazing the man and making him drop his knife in surprise. Stain recovered fast though and slashed upward with his katana, then threw several small knives at Izuka as she dodged them. The knifes went right through her flame wings, making enough holes in them that Izuka was forced to land and restore them. As she went to land, Stain suddenly dashed forward and drew another blade, slashing his katana one way and his new knife another. The katana was aimed to cut off her legs while the knife was aimed to take her head, but Izuka couldn't move fast enough to evade them; instead she raised her arms to protect her throat and pushed the Hardening Quirk to it's limit while also using Shoto's Ice Side (his fire side was useless to her, as it was weaker than her own quirk) to rapidly freeze herself, mimicking Shoto's Ice Prison Defence. Izuka's version was MUCH weaker and she could produce an amount of ice roughly equal in volume to her own body, but Izuka was clever and made up for the weakness by using careful control to weave the ice together to make it much tougher, so Stain's blades could only cut about an inch into it. Since Izuka had still been in mid air when she used this move, and Stain's blades were lodged in her ice, she fell like a rock and Stain was forced to either let go of his weapons or fall too. Apparently, Stain valued his weapons more than his safety, as he kept his grip and tumbled to the ground on top of the frozen Izuka, who promptly released a massive wave of flame to free herself and burn Stain, who had rolled off at the last second but still received minor burns.

The moment she was free of the ice, Izuka sprung up and touched her hand to Stain, trying to freeze him instead (she needed direct physical contact, unlike Shoto), but Stain was ready for her. Having feigned unconsciousness, the moment Izuka touched him, he slashed upward with his knife, just barely cutting the girl's cheek in the process as she dodged away at the last instant. Unfortunately, that was enough as Stain licked his blade and Izuka suddenly froze.

Suddenly terrified, Izuka struggled with all her might, trying to move but everything below the neck was completely paralysed, her muscles locked in place and everything above the neck was stiff and hard to move. "N-No! A tiny cut like this is enough!?" she muttered furiously, only to suddenly think back to when Stain had licked his blade. That had been the instant she was frozen, not the moment she was cut.

"Blood… you need to ingest blood to use your quirk!" Izuka declared, making Stain pause as he stood up. The Girl was doing everything to try and stall the man, knowing that each passing second could give another hero more time to arrive and help.

Stain nodded, his expression stoic but his eyes showing pleasure. "Correct. I will confess to being surprised. I underestimated you, since you're just a child, but you proved strong. You followed my movements well and have good instincts. It's a shame that one with your power would disrupt my crusade too much; I'd much rather leave you alone. Alas, for the Greater Good of Society, you must be removed from the equation. Fear not though; I have no intention of allowing you to die." the man walked past Izuka and began approaching Tenya, his blade held out menacingly. "He, on the other hand, is tainted by darkness. He is a fake and will be purged."

"S-Stop! Please!" Izuka shouted. Tenya and Stain were behind her now, "Don't kill him!" she begged.

"You have your back to us and are frozen like that. You will not be forced to see your friend die. That is the only mercy I have in this case." Stain said coldly, staring down at the terrified Tenya.

Panicking, Izuka began releasing all the flames she could. She couldn't move her body, but she could still produce fire. She didn't dare try to attack Stain in her current position, as she might hit Tenya, so she opted for Plan B. Forcing her flames out of the soles of her feet, Izuka (still in her frozen state) was flipped around, spiralling like Tenya had done during their match. Stain and Tenya were shocked by the seemingly meaningless move, until they saw Izuka was now upside down in the air, facing them with bleeding eyes.

Stain felt his quirk suddenly be erased, freeing Izuka, Tenya, and Native from his power. Thinking fast, he tried to cut off Tenya's head, but the boy was faster and dashed out of his way to the other side of the alley. Izuka, now free, corrected herself and landed gracefully, taking up a position between Stain and Native, who was too badly injured to move. Native's bleeding wound was minor, but Stain had broken his legs in their fight as well.

"Clever girl." Stain grumbled, before quickly dashing at Izuka, leaping on the walls to get to her faster. His rapid movement was too fast and erratic for Izuka's eyes to follow, so Stain was freed from the Erasure and the girl was forced to blink. With the blood running down her face, Stain didn't need to cut her and instead simply grabbed her front and pulled her close, ready to lick the blood right from her face. Tenya ran full speed towards them, aiming to stop Stain from freezing Izuka again, but the Hero Killer swung his blade back to stop him. Both young heroes were left to watch helplessly as Stain's tongue got closer to Izuka's cheek.

At the very last instant before her blood touched his tongue, Stain suddenly found himself hit in the side of the face by something small and sharp. It drew his attention enough to turn and see what it was, only to be surprised when the thing that hit him suddenly appeared right in his face. It was a crow; black feathered and cawing angrily as it pecked his face and clawed at him with it's talons. Stain was completely unprepared and dropped Izuka, allowing her to escape as he wildly swung his blade to try and hit the enraged bird.

Izuka and Tenya gasped at the bird's behaviour, when suddenly, a very familiar shape ran into the alley and shoulder slammed Stain into a nearby trash can, where a disturbed alley cat joined the crow in attacking Stain.

"KODA!" the two teens shouted as they saw their large, shy teammate and ran to greet him, taking advantage of Stain's distraction.

Koda smiled shyly and waved at the two. He began signing; _"Miss Miruko and I came to Hosu from a neighbouring city when those Noumu appeared. I saw your signal flares and came to help!"_

"Thank you, Koda!" Izuka said after translating for Tenya, "Look, you're not going to like this, but I need you to listen to me! Take Native and run away, then get us some help! Stain is too strong for Tenya and I!"

"Izuka, that's not true! You were winning until that one mistake! If you and I fight together, we'll win!" Tenya declared.

"No we won't!" Izuka shouted angrily; "He's going easy on us because we're kids and he didn't think we were a threat! Next time, he'll just kill us both outright! At best, we can hold him off for a little while!"

Izuka knew that if it was just her and Tenya, they'd lose. They had little to no defence against Stain's blades and he was too fast and manoeuvrable for them to land a knockout blow. If they had a third powerful fighter like Shoto or Kacchan, then maybe they could manage a close win, but just the two of them…

Unlike Tenya, Koda saw no point in arguing. Silently, the boy used his strength (which was quite high, thanks to his size) and easily picked up Native, who was drifting in and out of consciousness. He gave Izuka a nod and quickly ran off to take the hero to a safe zone and get some help.

With Koda gone, both the Cat and Crow lost their reason to fight with Stain and retreated, allowing the man to properly take stock. "Tch, Another Kid Hero… at least this one had the sense to take the injured and flee. He won't get far; I'll take you both out then hunt him down." Stain declared, ignoring the shallow cuts that littered his face and arms from the animals' claws.

"Still, I'll admit; you've got some good friends, Fake Hero." he said, glaring at Tenya.

Without another word, Stain threw his sword at Izuka's head while drawing a knife and charging her. Tenya growled and kicked his leg upward, knocking the thrown sword skyward, then brought it down in a heel drop on Stain's knife, knocking it from his hand and giving Izuka an opening to land a strong punch to Stain's face. The Villain barely staggered and without looking, reached up and caught his sword and swung it in one fluid motion. Tenya pulled Izuka away at the last instant, allowing the blade to only chip the hardened skin of her arm, which was still using Eijiro's quirk.

For five, exhausting, terrifying minutes, Izuka and Tenya fought for their lives. Stain's every opening was a trap that nearly got the person exploiting it killed. His every attack or move left him able to perform up to a dozen follow up moves and even Izuka's analytical mind could barely keep up with half the possibilities. If she wasn't relying so heavily on her Angelic Aura, she'd have been sliced to ribbons in seconds. All the two could do was dodge and take the small windows they had to land counter attacks, but that never dealt enough damage to really win. Stain was really pulling out all the stops and it was only Izuka's hardened skin and Tenya's speed that saved the duo from a thousand different deaths. Izuka also found a roundabout way to counter Stain's quirk; her Pink Flames couldn't damage anything, but they consumed all blood they were exposed to, so on the few occasions Stain was able to scratch them and take their blood, Izuka could shoot a burst of pink flame to consume their lost blood before Stain could ingest it.

But the teens' Stamina was failing them. Tenya had to rely more and more on Plus Ultra Mode to escape attacks and Izuka was nearing the point were she was consuming heat to stay moving, which meant she would crash soon.

All seemed lost when Stain dodged an overextended kick from Tenya and was able to leap behind the boy and slice at his legs, cutting the tendons and forcing the boy to fall to his knees. Desperate to stop Stain from killing Tenya, Izuka flew forward at full speed, only for Stain to side step and make a shallow cut on her ear as she flew past, then licked it to freeze her before she could react or recover. As a result, Izuka crashed painfully into the wall, only barely remaining conscious as Stain raised his blade to decapitate the kneeling and stunned Tenya. "This is the end. Die now, Fake Hero!" he declared and swung his blade down.

Izuka felt bile rise up in her throat as she heard the horrible sound of blade slicing through flesh and bone, the splatter of blood on the ground and the soft thunk of something hard and fleshy striking the ground behind her. "TENYA!" she screamed, roaring fire to flip herself face up to see what had become of her friend. Her eyes widened; Tenya was on the ground just to the side of where he'd been kneeling, though not because he had been killed. Instead, he had been pushed away by a saviour, a saviour whose hand had been sliced off and now sat in a pool of blood where Tenya had once been.

Izuka would have been horrified, if the Saviour hadn't been a Noumu.

A massive, black skinned brute like the USJ Noumu and the Snake Faced Noumu was stood there, blankly watching it's hand regrow thanks to its hyper regeneration. This Noumu appeared almost completely human, but instead of a proper head, everything above the bottom jaw was an exposed brain. The Girl looked at it, confused but thankful. She wondered why a Noumu would save Tenya, when a sudden shout gave her the answer.

"D-Don't h-hurt my f-friends!" came the high-pitched and childish voice of Koda. He was shaking and terrified, his usual peachy skin taking on a pale and greenish tinge. "Ape, beat up Stain!" Koda ordered.

The Noumu made a disturbing groan and obeyed, beginning to attack Stain with startling speed, forcing the Hero Killer to dodge and evade. Izuka smiled happily; Koda's Plus Ultra Mode allowed him to control Humans if they were mentally weak; a Noumu definitely counted as such a thing!

Stain scowled; he was sweating and panting now, his large reserves of stamina being slowly depleted by these kids. He slashed at the Noumu's legs and cut them off, forcing the beast to the floor while it regenerated. "One after another, you kids just keep showing up." he growled bitterly. He suddenly groaned and realised he couldn't feel his quirk any more; he had stayed still too long and the paralysed Izuka had been able to lock her eyes on him and erase his quirk, freeing her from its effects. Tenya was also freed and immediately dashed away, grabbing Izuka as he did so and reuniting with Koda on the other side of the alley, leaving the Noumu between them and Stain.

"Koda, you came back for us! Thank you!" Izuka grinned happily.

"Yes, Thank you, Koda. I would be dead if not for you." Tenya bowed his head, a guilty expression on his face. He had allowed his foolishness to drag two of the kindest people in his class into his vengeance.

Koda blushed a bit and began to stutter out a reply; "M-Miss Miruko is helping Mr Endeavor and Todoroki. I found that N-Noumu causing trouble after I dropped off Native. S-So I got him to help!"

Izuka giggled, "All those Noumu that the League made to beat me and other Heroes, and every one of them is useless against you! You're the Anti-Noumu Hero, Anima!" she patted his shoulder, "And it's nice to here you talk. I like your voice; it's sweet."

The Shy Boy nodded appreciatively; "Miss Miruko helped me. S-She said a Hero had to be brave and shout that everything was okay. I-I'm really scared, but I want to be a Hero too, so I'll do what I have to do!" he looked to Tenya; "Ingenium is here too, he's helping the Emergency Services and couldn't leave them. H-He said that he trusts us to hold our own until help arrives."

Tenya felt his heart clench… his brother had faith in him, even after Tenya made such a foolish mistake. The Boy took a combat stance, his resolve galvanised: he had been weak and foolish, hunting Stain out of Vengeance and passing it off as Justice, but now, he was fighting to protect Izuka from whatever fate Stain had planned for her, and protect Koda after he risked his life to come and help him! "Izuka, Koda; I'm sorry. I dragged you both into this, but I will make it up to you both. And I'll start by protecting you!"

"A-Ape and I will give you an opening!" Koda said, running forward to command the Noumu directly.

The Noumu had finished regenerating its legs and Stain had used the lull in the fight to recover his discarded weapons (besides the melted knives that Izuka destroyed). At Koda's order, the Noumu charged like a bull, but Stain leapt over it. Reacting fast, Noumu swung a large fist up to hit Stain, only for the Killer to kick himself off the alley wall to evade the strike, which broke a portion of the wall just below were Stain had kicked. Izuka shouted to Koda, warning him of Stain's Quirk and it's effects while she and Tenya were being healed up by her Pink Flames and preparing to join the fight. Just as the warning came, Stain threw a knife at Koda and it barely scratched his cheek as he dodged at the last minute. Stain immediately weaved past the flailing Noumu and charged at Koda, ready to paralyse him, but the Noumu quickly caught up and defended its temporary master with its body, catching Stain's follow up strike with it's large hand. Stain abandoned that dagger to try and grab Koda and lick his bleeding cheek, but Koda yelled in an attempt to psyche himself up and punched Stain in the face hard enough to force him away.

"I-I won't let you get close to my friends until they're healed!" Koda cried as his Noumu Servant once again attacked.

At that point, Stain lost whatever patience he had left and attacked furiously, slicing apart the Noumu and reducing it to a twitching head amongst a pile of meat chunks. Unlike the USJ Noumu, it's strength was much lower and so it didn't have the metal skeleton to support itself, allowing Stain to slice and dice it with moderate effort. Stain bounced off the Noumu pieces and leapt at Koda; "Obstructing your view when fighting an opponent faster than you is a poor strategy!" the Villain yelled.

Koda squeaked in fear, but cocked both his fists back to punch the approaching killer. Stain saw this and threw six small knives, three of which embedded themselves in each of Koda's forearms and made the boy shriek in pain. "I'll spare your life, Brave Hero, but your career ends here!" Stain declared, aiming to maim the terrified Koda.

"No it won't!" Izuka screamed, leaping into the fray now that she was fully healed and able to move properly. She flew at Stain and grabbed his long red scarf and used it to swing the villain into the wall and drag him against it as she flew right to the other end of the alley, "The Petting Hero: Anima will have a long and fruitful career, just like Seraphim and Blue Zephyr!" she cried, about to smash the enemy into the wall with 20% of One for All.

Stain groaned and elbowed Izuka hard in the kidney, forcing her to let go before she could finish the move. Both Hero and Villain corrected themselves and landed safely on the ground. The Villain panted and pulled a small syringe from one of his pouches, injecting himself right in the chest. The syringe contained a drug that worked a bit like Steroids hybridised with a General Anaesthetic, but was designed to improve and restore Stamina. It would allow him to keep fighting, but it would punish him with painfully cramping muscles later on. He looked up to see that the Girl was watching him while healing the Anima Boy, the Noumu slowly regenerating behind them, but Stain couldn't see Ingenium's Brother.

"Did the Fake flee?" he muttered, before he suddenly received a hard kick to the back of the head. He gasped in pain as his senses were scrambled by the heavy hit, but he turned quickly to see it was the Fake Hero that had struck him, kicking him full force. Tenya had indeed ran from the Alley, but only so he could work his way up to Sixth Gear safely, then run back into the Alley from another entry point, effectively flanking Stain and getting in a sneak attack.

"I made a mistake in facing you like this." Tenya said as he spun to kick Stain again, sending the Man skidding backwards. "I allowed my anger for what happened to my brother twist my ideals. I wanted vengeance for his injury and the death it caused for Izuka. As a Hero, I was a failure to do such a thing. I see now that we Heroes do not possess our powers for such base reasons!" Tenya threw a punch, hitting Stain in the jaw with his armoured fist, "We wield them to protect others! Because of my failure to understand that sooner, two of my precious friends have spilled blood for my sake… So I must live on to repay that debt! Win or lose, I will protect my comrades!"

He blasted huge amounts of blue flame from his engines and struck forward with the strongest kick he could manage; "RECIPRO BURST: AZURE LIGHTNING!"

Stain gasped as Tenya was enveloped in the blue exhaust flames and struck forward with such speed, he was like a blue flaming lightning bolt! The Villain barely had the chance to raise his arms in defence, but the kick smashed threw, breaking Stain's left arm and shattering his katana. The force of the blow sent Stain flying all the way out of the alley, into the street beyond, where the three young heroes and the newly regenerated Noumu ran to surround him and prevent him from escaping.

"I-It's no use pretending..." Stain coughed up blood as he stood up, "A person's true nature doesn't change so easily." he glared at the boy, "You're a Fake! You chose your own desires over the good of society! Your actions brought suffering to both the people you claim to be comrades. You're nothing but a cancer that helps warp the meaning of Hero!"

"You're wrong!" Izuka yelled, but Tenya put up his hand to stop her.

"No, he isn't. I have no right to call myself a Hero after what I've done. Still… I won't break. I will rise up and become a Hero, because if I don't… Brother, Izuka and Koda will have bled for nothing!" Tenya yelled.

"Well said!"

The Three Young Heroes and Stain all turned to see a white figure dashing towards them. The Turbo Hero: Ingenium, came to a stop directly opposite Tenya, with Stain between them. "I came as soon as I could." the man said, removing his helmet, "You've done me proud Little Brother." Tensei smiled, "Learning from your mistakes is a big part of being a Hero."

"Damn it, another Fake." Stain glared at Tensei, but the older Iida glared back with an almost inhuman amount of hatred.

"You wanted to kill my little brother. I won't forgive that. But it isn't for me to pass judgement. Surrender Stain, or we'll defeat you and arrest you!" Tensei demanded.

"B-Brother..." Tenya choked out, tearing up at the sight of his brother. Ingenium's armour was the same as ever, but a few blue flames had been painted onto the arms and legs, and the number "10" had been painted on his shoulder, likely a reference to his and Tenya's name starting with Ten.

Tenya remembered the conversation he and Izuka had after their fight in the Sports Festival…

" _Izuka, our match was excellent! I am sad to lose, but you defeated me with a truly splendid move!" Tenya complimented._

" _T-Thanks Tenya!" Izuka smiled bashfully, "Yours was great too! Blue Bolt Streak… that's so cool! Maybe you should get some blue additions to your hero costume! It suits you really well!"_

 _Tenya's eyes turned to his phone; "Well, my costume is meant to be like my brother's..."_

" _It still would be. Besides, Ingenium seemed just as proud to have you as a brother as you did to have him. I bet if you put blue on your costume, he'd put blue on his too." Izuka smiled._

Izuka had been right; Tensei now sported blue parts on his armour, because his little brother had taken the name Blue Zephyr…

"Ingenium, let's all four of us end this together!" Izuka declared. She closed her links with Shoji and linked with Koda and then quickly moved to touch Tensei, creating a Link with him too. As Tensei's quirk was the same as Tenya's, his Plus Ultra Mode was the same also.

With the mental connection to Koda, Tenya and Tensei, Izuka quickly planned out their final attack to take out Stain. Unfortunately, Stain wouldn't give them time to easily plan. "I spared your life last time, but this time you die!" he roared, lunging at Tensei.

Since Tensei needed a few moments to come to grips with his new Plus Ultra Mode, Izuka ran forward instead, intercepting the blow and blocking it by using Kirishima's Hardening Quirk. With his main blade broken by Tenya, Stain was relying solely on his short swords and knives, but they weren't as sharp as the katana, so many broke against Izuka's hardened skin and those that didn't couldn't cut deep enough to draw blood, leaving little more than scratches in Izuka's stony hide. The moment Stain leapt away from Izuka's wild punch, the plan began in earnest.

Stain had leapt to the dead centre of the street, and his blades were all broken or dulled, just as planned. Izuka used Shoto's quirk to quickly freeze Stain in place, generating just enough ice to embed his feet in blocks of ice too heavy to lift. Once stuck in place, the four heroes took up positions around Stain, creating a cross formation with Stain in the centre. The Iida brothers were opposite each other as were Izuka and Koda, the Ape-like Noumu between Koda and Stain.

"Let's go everyone! Collaboration Super Move!" Izuka cried, flaring her wings.

Koda was first, sending the Noumu to punch Stain hard in the gut; "FIRST GATE: BLACK TORTOISE OF THE NORTH!"

Izuka moved next; she hardened her hands and fingers like Kirishima did, then summoned her wings and bathed her hands in flame. She flew forward and slashed Stain across the back with dual cross chops, one from her arms and another from her wings; "SECOND GATE: VERMILION BIRD OF THE SOUTH!"

Then it was Tensei; he activated his new Plus Ultra Mode and allowed his elbow engines to blast up to Sixth Gear, expelling huge plumes of white flame. With these moving him forward, he spun forward at top speed and slammed a kick into the back of Stain's Head: "THIRD GATE: WHITE TIGER OF THE WEST!"

The move ended with Tenya, who repeated his earlier move, blasting blue flames from his leg engines and running to deliver a fierce drop kick to Stain; "FOURTH GATE: AZURE DRAGON OF THE EAST!"

Stain gasped at the horrible pain; his limbs were shattered and it was only the Heroes holding back on their full strength that stopped him from dying from the blow. Izuka smiled a bit as the Villain lost consciousness, falling backward as the ice at his feet was melted. "This was our Ultimate Move: Four Heavenly Gate Guardians!"

The other three Heroes sighed with relief and sat down in the street after Koda ordered the Noumu to find something to bind Stain with. Once the creature returned with some rope, Izuka carefully bound Stain's arms and wrists, removing every blade she found along the way. With Stain all tied up, Izuka began to heal him a bit, to ensure he was in no danger of dying from his injuries.

"I'll drag him to the Police once we have our strength back." Tenya said, fanning his legs.

"N-No, I will. You took more damage than me, so rest." Koda argued quietly.

"Phew, that was pretty worrying for a moment there. I'm glad I got to see this monster get captured." Tensei smirked, "I just wish I had gotten here earlier, but I couldn't abandon the Evacuation Efforts."

"It's okay, Ingenium." Izuka smiled. She told everyone she was linked to that they had won and Stain was held captive, "We managed to win, though it was kind of by the skin of our teeth."

Tenya nodded; "I was such an idiot, thinking I could take him on. Even three-on-one, we barely managed to turn the tables, and we needed four people to finally win. Plus one of those people was a Noumu!"

"We got lucky, really lucky. If he had taken us seriously from the start or if Koda had been a bit slower, we'd have been butchered." Izuka agreed. Stain had been strong, far stronger than she expected. It was like Overhaul all over again; if she hadn't had allies around to help her, she'd have lost. "Real Villains… these people are a lot scarier than I thought. I need to get a lot stronger."

Tenya and Koda nodded, as did Tensei. But for now, the four rested (Tensei wasn't used to the Stamina Drain of his Plus Ultra Mode) and relaxed. They'd go and deal with the other Noumus shortly.

The Battle with Stain was over, but the Battle for Hosu hadn't ended yet!


	11. The Chaos of Hosu Part 3

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 11: The Chaos of Hosu Part 3**

Fire Drake, Endeavor's Number One Sidekick, stared down at the deceased Noumu at his feet, eyeing it closely in case it possessed regeneration like the Black-skinned one from a short time ago. The Dead Noumu was a bizarre monstrosity; pale bluish green skin, long and thin limbs and four eyes attached to an exposed brain; it was disgusting and it's powers had been equally so. It had been able to absorb the flames produced by the Diablo Twins fighting alongside Drake, and then release them back at the heroes, though not without taking some damage. It also had been able to shoot out its tongue in a way that caused it to expand a mutate like a fleshy spider web. The Twins had no idea how to deal with that, but Drake had jumped in and killed the beast.

Fire Drake, real name: Gin Arashi, possessed the powerful "Drake Evolution" Quirk, on account of being the Bastard Son of the last Head of the Kintaro family and one of his household maids. He took his mother's last name (as the Kintaros never acknowledged bastards) and grew to despise both his parents, his father for refusing to acknowledge him and his mother for still loving the man that reviled them. He chose to become a Hero and took the name Fire Drake, refusing to use his real name for anything he didn't have to. Drake Evolution was a slightly weaker version of his older half-brother's "Dragon Evolution" and allowed Fire Drake to breath fire, cover his body in thick black scales, grow deadly claws and a long, powerful tail. When fighting the Noumu, he had easily used his strong tail to launch himself at the tongue web, slashing through it with his claws, before using his fire breath to launch him back at the Noumu's body, where he ripped out it's heart with his mighty claws.

It was kind of vindictive, Drake realised, but he knew about these Noumus and the League that made them, and felt nothing but hatred for them. He may not be acknowledged by the Kintaro Elders, and his half-brothers; Haru and Hisashi, might not even know of his existence, but Drake still considered them to be blood, and Izuka was also of their bloodline. It had been Drake that convinced Endeavor to join the rescue operation against All for One, since he wasn't strong enough to join himself. Izuka didn't know that though, and didn't know of her relation to Drake, since the man never revealed his true name or the full name of his Quirk.

Drake was snapped from his thoughts by Diablo Red, "Yo Boss, you still with us?" he asked, noticing Drake's distraction.

"I'm still here. Just thinking. These Noumu really are monsters." Drake said, idly shifting the dead one's head with his foot.

"Tell me about it!" Diablo Green chimed in, "That big black one was even weirder! I hope that kid is okay..."

They were referring to the Petting Hero: Anima, Miruko's Intern. The boy had run around their battle earlier, carrying the injured hero, Native, then ran back after taking Native to the Ambulances. The Kid had used his quirk to take control of the Noumu and ran off with it, shouting that he would be alright.

Drake hummed; "I'm sure he's fine. He had that Noumu eating out of the palm of his hand. Plus, I'm guessing the White Blur that ran in his direction a minute ago was Ingenium. Now that we're done here, let's go see for ourselves." he said, secretly hoping to check on his Niece.

 **[SARDONYX'S TEAM]**

Sardonyx, Embright and Blade Jester were having a much harder time with their own opponents, and they had been pushed into a corner. They weren't injured, but were growing tired as their attacks did nothing against the pair of Noumus they faced.

The first was the bizarre Skeleton Noumu. It had immediately breathed out a black smog that cover it like a cloak. The Black Smog allowed the Noumu to slip through solid objects like a Ghost, and the Noumu had perfect control over it, allowing it to keep the smog on it's body when defending or moving, while pushing it away when it wanted to attack with it's bony claws. The Skeletal Noumu also possessed a second Quirk, allowing it to turn it's finger bones red and then extend and sharpen them at will, turning each finger into a sharp spike that could extend up to 100 feet. The damn monster was like a Grim Reaper!

The second Noumu was a Tiger with a Monkey face, resembling the old Japanese Legend of the Nue. The creature had three quirks; the first allowing it to produce thick, cotton-like clouds that it could stand on and shoot lightning from, the second allowing it to breath a poisonous wind from its mouth and the third that allowed it to turn it's tiger-like tail into a snake with a venomous bite.

Blade Jester was at a complete disadvantage against these two monsters, as neither could laugh or cry, so his quirk couldn't activate, leaving him instead trying to slash at the two. His knives slipped through the Reaper's mist covered body and the Nue would just call up its clouds to defend itself. Embright did a bit better; her flaming hair could ignite the Reaper's black mist, which burned quickly and forced it to leave it's fog and create more, and it also caused the Nue's cloud shields to hiss and splatter to the ground like water, but again, the beast made more too quickly. Sardonyx was having more luck, but only a little. Her main tactic of combat was to spit on the opponent, then turn the saliva into crystal with her quirk, before having a fire wielding companion strike the crystallized spit and make it grow to encase the enemy. While Sardonyx was able to land a single spit attack on the Nue (she called the move: Gem Spit) and crystallize it with her quirk, Embright wasn't able to reach it to hit it with fire, and Sardonyx hadn't been able to land the move on either Noumu again. She had to use her back-up attack; Gem Bullet (a move where she crystallises her spit in mid-air to hit the enemy with a fast and hard bullet-like gem) but now her mouth was getting dry, and she was forced to rely on her sweat, which she usually only utilised for defence or melee strikes.

"This isn't going well!" Embright cried as she used her hair to grab a window ledge and pull herself above a lightning strike from Nue.

"I'm sorry, I am useless here!" Jester said sadly, leaping over one of Reaper's bone spikes.

"Don't worry about that for now, just focus on staying alive!" Sardonyx shouted, before muffling a cry as another of Reaper's bone spikes sliced into her forearm. It was the first injury they'd suffered and it wasn't serious, but it did show that they were going down hill. "Damn it! Well at least I have blood for my quirk now..."

Embright suddenly grinned; "I have an idea! Jester, keeping attacking the Reaper one! Make sure it doesn't have a second to become physical!"

"Understood!" Jester shouted, leaping at Reaper with a battle cry and beginning a mad dance of swinging blades and kicks, following Reaper's every move and making it so the Noumu couldn't attack without being hit as well. Nue growled and shifted it's focus to Jester, and that was all Embright needed.

"Sardonyx, make a gem mace on the end of my hair!" Embright ordered, stopping the fire on her braid and directing it over to the older hero. Sardonyx, realising the plan, smirked and began using her blood to create a sphere on the end of Embright's braid, then added spikes to it. A little known fact about Sardonyx' quirk was that the gems it created, when exposed to heat, would grow while retaining their shape, unless it met something that blocked it's growth, in which case it would grow around the object, which was why it was used to trap villains, but since Embright's hair didn't block its growth, it could grow as large as it wanted.

"Okay, here goes!" Embright declared, spinning her braid with it's new mace around her head to get used to the weight and the build momentum, before swinging down on Nue. Mid-Swing, Embright ignited her hair and since the Gem Mace was made with blood, it could grow to huge sizes, so it immediately jumped from the size of a bowling ball to the size of a small building. It smashed right through the Nue's cloud defence and crushed the Noumu, shattering it's head completely and killing the mindless creature.

With Nue dead, all three Heroes attacked Reaper viciously, not giving it an instant to counter attack since it couldn't attack while intangible and couldn't become tangible without taking a hit. Once it became clear that the Noumu could do nothing, Embright ignited her hair and set the black fog alight. It burned quickly and the Noumu couldn't escape without being killed by Sardonyx or Jester, so it just shrieked and burned. The flames engulfed it and melted away it's transparent skin and brain, leaving the Noumu as nothing but charred, dead bones.

"Ha! Victory to the Heroes!" Embright cheered as she looked at the two dead Noumus.

"Winning is good, but the power of these things makes me worry..." Jester said, a bit disheartened that he hadn't been able to fight his way.

"The League is becoming more dangerous. If they can create creatures like this, with varied quirks and no emotions, they may become a serious threat to the entire world. We need to crush them sooner rather than later." Sardonyx muttered. She quickly checked her phone and noticed that Drake's Group had successfully killed their opponent and were heading to support Ingenium and Miruko's Intern. However, Endeavor hadn't reported his own victory yet, which meant he was still fighting. With a frown, Sardonyx led the team to find and support Endeavor.

 **[ENDEAVOR'S TEAM]**

The Centre of Hosu had become a Maelstrom of fire, ice and water as the two Todoroki Heroes battled against the two Noumus that had appeared there. The Snake-faced Noumu was big, muscular and regenerated quickly, while the flying Gargoyle-like Noumu just dived bombed them and occasionally flapped its wings hard to kick up gale-force winds. Strictly speaking, the Gargoyle Noumu was fairly ineffectual, as Celsius and Endeavor had to do little more that slap it down whenever it tried to attack them, and both were strong enough to avoid being blown over by the wind it created.

It was the Snake Noumu that was the problem.

Aside from having strength that rivalled Endeavor's and the ability to regenerate, it had three other powers which proved more worrisome. The first was some kind of Water Generation Quirk that allowed the beast to shoot torrents of water from a hole on its tongue. The water pressure could cut through rock and steel at the highest level (though thankfully the Noumu didn't seem able to use this version for long) but even its lower level of power was enough to knock Celsius over, and send Endeavor skidding back. The second Quirk played in with the first; it could grow perfect copies of its own head on any patch of skin on its body. These additional heads could also shoot water and had brains of their own, so even when Endeavor managed to destroy the main head with a well aimed Fire Spear, the Noumu kept fighting and eventually regrew it's original head. The additional heads could also be varying sizes, both bigger and smaller than the original. The third and final quirk this monster had was a kind of transformation quirk that effected its neck, allowing it to extend its neck and manipulate it like a snake. This unfortunately included the additional heads too.

"This thing is a nuisance." Endeavor scowled as he lazily evaporated a feeble water blast from one of the Noumu's smaller heads.

"It's like a damned Hydra! It's forced us into a Stalemate." Celsius scowled. He was right too; Hydra could regenerate, so the only way to kill it was to destroy the brain or the entire body, but because its quirk let it grow seemingly unlimited heads, it was impossible to destroy the brain, and the moment Endeavor and Celsius tried to incinerate it with a massive burst of fire, the Hydra would produce huge torrents of water from every head to counter the flame. Celsius had tried to freeze the beast solid, but the only result had been the creature breaking out with it's strength and regenerating any lost parts. The battle was beginning to drag on too, as Celsius had already needed to adjust his internal temperature a lot to deal with overusing his ice or fire, and he'd had to cool Endeavor too, as the man got close to overheating.

As Endeavor punched away a snake head that had shot towards him, he called out to his son; "Celsius, have we had any more word from Seraphim?"

Shoto frowned and focused on the link Izuka had opened, but she was still fighting Stain, so the girl didn't seem to notice his attempts at contact; "She's still facing the Hero Killer with Blue Zephyr. I think they're holding their own, but she won't be coming to help us."

Endeavor scowled and slammed his fist into Hydra's abdomen, narrowly avoiding a bite from a snake head (he had taken a few minor bites, though thankfully the fangs weren't venomous). "We don't need her to come help us! I was worried if we needed to help her!" the man shot back, his temper getting away from him a bit due to the annoyance of the Noumu he fought.

Celsius leapt over a small head that had shot towards him and then slammed down on it, creating an ice spike on his heel to stab into the thing's brain. Hydra hissed menacingly and ripped off the dead head at the neck and regenerated a new one. Celsius was forced to dodge a flurry of blows from several snake heads, as their necks extended towards him and began swinging to and fro like whips with teeth. One managed to bite into his forearm and hold him in place for a second, leaving him open to the others, but Celsius growled and ignited his left side, incinerating the snakes the moment they touched him. Endeavor called out to him, but his voice was drowned out when the Pro Hero was hit in the face by a powerful torrent of water from the main head of Hydra. Thankfully, it wasn't the kind of blast that had the pressure needed to cut him, but Endeavor was hit in the face with enough force that it bowled him over, making him spin wildly into a nearby building. It caused little more to Endeavor than bruising to his back and redness to the skin on his face (he was a tough man after all), but Celsius was able to discern something from the observation.

"Father!" he shouted as Endeavor pulled himself out of the man-shaped crater he'd made.

"What is it!?"

"I think I've spotted a weakness! When producing his water attacks, he can't move! All his snakes stop moving completely whenever he uses it!" the Young Hero shouted.

Endeavor frowned and nodded; "It's likely a limitation left over from the original owner of that Quirk… he has to stay still when using it. We'll have some forewarning if he uses his water jets again, but that isn't enough to take him out!"

"I have an idea, but I'll need- AHHH!" Shoto's words were suddenly cut off, as in the moment of distraction, Gargoyle swept down and grabbed him from behind, lifting him into the sky and flying off with him. "Shit! Dad!" Shoto screamed as the Noumu's clawed feet squeezed him.

"SHOTO! Hold on!" Endeavor roared, forming a spear of flame and tossing it at Gargoyle with lethal aim. The Noumu tried to dodge, but it wasn't fast enough to avoid the spear, being his squarely in the eye by the flames. It's dodge had spared its life at least and it was able to keep flying, still with Shoto in its grasp. Endeavor growled and prepared another attack only to be blind-sided by Hydra. The Man couldn't pursue Gargoyle with Hydra attacking him; the damned Noumu would take his son!

"I won't let you!" he roared, "PROMINENCE BURN!"

Endeavor's body burned brightly and released a beam of highly pressurized flames directly at Gargoyle. Hydra was burned and forced to back off, and the attack took the corners of an entire skyscraper off, but Gargoyle was prepared and managed to avoid it. Just as it looked like hope was lost and Shoto would be taken, Endeavor spotted a figure leaping from rooftop to rooftop, before leaping high above Gargoyle and slamming into its back with a large foot. The flying Noumu released Shoto as it staggered in the air, and the attacker chose to save Shoto as opposed to pursuing the Noumu, who escaped into the sky. Shoto and his rescuer landed back in the city centre with a loud thump, where upon Endeavor saw who saved his son.

The Rabbit Hero: Miruko!

Setting the slightly stunned Shoto onto his feet, Miruko smiled widely at Endeavor; "Hi! I got a report from the police about what was happening, so I hopped right over! My adorable little Intern Anima is off helping elsewhere. Do you think you guys could use some help?" she asked giddily.

Endeavor wanted to snap that he didn't need help, but he wasn't about to be rude to the woman that saved his son, so he merely nodded; "Help would be useful. You chased off the flying one, and it's hurt so I doubt it'll come back. This one is a problem though." he said, before giving Miruko a quick rundown of Hydra's abilities.

"Sounds tough! It survives your fire with its water, right? And it can't use water while moving? Then I'll go and kick it a bunch so it has to move, then you guys blast it!" Miruko grinned.

Endeavor nodded; "I think that was what my son intended, correct?" he asked, looking to Shoto.

"It is. Miruko, Dad, if you two can keep it occupied while I prepare something, I can take it out in one move. Just open its mouth when I say." Celsius declared.

The Adult Heroes nodded; neither willing to argue rank when a deadly threat was around. Endeavor and Miruko leapt into the fray, fighting brutally and efficiently, Miruko used a flurry of powerful kicks to knock the Noumu around like a rag doll, and the moment she need to rest a second, Endeavor would leap in and carry on where Miruko left off, using his flames to match the force of Miruko's legs. As they did so, Shoto activated Plus Ultra Mode and began pumping out all the flames he could and compressing it into a ball in the palm of his hand. As he did so, his mind drifted back to a conversation that occurred last week…

 _ **[FLASHBACK]**_

 _As the boys changed back into the school uniforms after the Support Trial, Shoto discretely got Bakugou's attention, gesturing for the Explosive Boy to meet him after class. Bakugou scoffed but nodded, and when Shoto went to the area behind the gym where he and Bakugou had confronted each other before, he found the Explosive Boy leaning against the wall, lazily chomping on an apple._

 _As Shoto got closer, he had to double take when he realised it wasn't an apple, but a red bell pepper. "Bakugou, what are you eating?" Shoto asked blankly._

" _A pepper. Want one?" the boy offered, showing he had another in his pocket. Bewildered, Shoto declined, falling silent until Katsuki got angry; "Well what do you want then? I've got shit to do today you know and you're cutting into my Izuka time!"_

 _Shoto frowned, "Well, it's to do with those atomic moves you used. I wanted to learn more about them, and your explosions in general. My quirk lets me produce and sort of control Ice and Fire, but my control over fire is nothing like Izuka's, and I can't do some of the things you can with it either. I was hoping you could give me a tip on how to use explosions with my flames."_

 _Katsuki raised an eyebrow; "You must be pretty desperate if you're coming to me. Why do you need to know this stuff?"_

 _The scarred boy looked down in shame; "My previous pledge to never use my flames means I have only a couple of weeks of experience with it. Izuka helped a lot, but she doesn't like using her fire to attack aggressively, preferring to use it to a lesser extent while her strength does the main damage. I don't have that luxury, and I need to catch up and be able to use my flames properly if I'm going to be a hero. Besides, I thought if you helped me, I'd be stronger and then I'd be more of a match for you in our inevitable rematch." Shoto said, adding the last part to poke at Katsuki's pride._

 _The Explosive boy saw right through this, but smirked regardless; "Okay then, I'll help you. Meet me here every night at 9pm. I'll give you three lessons over three nights. If you can use your fire to produce a half-decent explosion in that time, I'll teach you how to concentrate your flames into a proper atomic attack!"_

 _Shoto agreed immediately._

 _ **[END FLASHBACK]**_

Katsuki had kept his end of the bargain and taught Shoto vigorously, and sure enough, Shoto was able to almost mimic some of Katsuki's explosions (though the process was difficult and required strict control, since his flames weren't based on a naturally explosive compound like Katsuki's Nitroglycerin) and as such he'd been taught how to perform the simplest of Katsuki's Atomic Moves: the Atomic Grenade. This would be the key to defeating Hydra!

Finally, after pumping out every bit of flame he could muster and compressing it into a brightly burning sphere, no bigger than tennis ball, Shoto shouted to his Father; "Now! Open his mouth!"

Endeavor immediately leapt onto the Noumu's back and grabbed it's upper jaw, pulling back with all his strength while Miruko grabbed the lower jaw and pulled it down. With the creature's mouth wide open, Shoto ran up and slammed the fire ball down the monster's gullet, manipulating it carefully so it maintained it's shape until it reached the centre of the Noumu's body. With the flame in place, Shoto leapt back and Endeavor smashed the Noumu into the ground, where Miruko used a powerful heel drop to force the Noumu's overly large fangs into the ground. With its fangs embedded into the dirt, the Hydra Noumu tried to use it's additional heads to attack, but it was too late. The flame that Shoto had created exploded.

"1,000,000 DEGREES CELSIUS SCORCH!" Shoto cried as his flame sphere rapidly expanded and exploded within the Noumu. Since he couldn't create explosions in the same way as Katsuki, he had been taught instead to compress his flames so tightly, that when he released the compression, they'd expand so violently it created an explosion. With all the flames he could manage compressed within the Noumu, they exploded so violently, the Noumu's body was incinerated from the inside, leaving behind nothing but some ash and a few charred bones. Thankfully, the Noumu was tough enough that the flames were almost all consumed, so there was little collateral damage, though the area it had been lying on was reduced to molten rock and metal.

"Whoa, you killed it. Your Intern is pretty amazing, Endeavor." Miruko commented, amazed as she used a broken piece of rebar to poke at the ash and bone of the Noumu.

"Of course he is! He's my son!" Endeavor laughed, clapping Shoto on the back. Unfortunately, Shoto had used his Plus Ultra so much that he passed out, forcing the man to quickly catch him. "Huh, must have taken a lot out of him." the Hero muttered, before checking his phone. According to the reports from Drake, Sardonyx and a message from Ingenium, a total of four Noumu (Reaper, Nue, Slender and Hydra) had been killed, with one escaping (Gargoyle) and another being under the control of Anima, a classmate of his own interns. Not only that, but Seraphim, Ingenium, Ingenium's brother and Anima had succeeded in defeating and capturing the Hero Killer Stain!

"Holy shit!" Endeavor cursed, "Miruko, our Interns took down the Hero Killer!"

"No way!" the Rabbit Hero shot back, "Where are they, we need to hop over there!"

 **[A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE, WITH SERAPHIM'S TEAM]**

Izuka, Tenya, Tensei and Koda were slowly making their way to the Police Checkpoint, with Stain being dragged behind by the Noumu that remained in Koda's control. Izuka thought it was odd that the creature still obeyed Koda and didn't immediately go on a rampage when the boy's orders were completed back in the battle, but she theorised it was because Koda's quick had somehow overpowered the command quirk that forced the Noumu to obey the League.

As they rounded the corner, the group was suddenly found by the Sidekicks from Endeavor's Agency. Sardonyx, the Diablo Twins, Blade Jester, Embright and Flare Drake all ran towards them. "Seraphim! Thank goodness you're alright! Ah, I see you met up with Miruko's Intern too." Drake said, already messaging Endeavor that Izuka was safe.

"Yeah, I got lucky and ran into the Hero Killer before he could kill Zephyr or Native. It took Anima and Ingenium helping too, as well as this Noumu, but we managed to catch him!" Izuka chirped happily, pointing to the bound Hero Killer. The Sidekicks all looked shocked, examining the Hero Killer closely.

"Amazing! You took down Stain! Geez, this new generation of Heroes is going to make us look bad" Diablo Green jokingly whined.

"He isn't too banged up either, and neither are you kids. What happened?" Embright asked.

Izuka and Tenya filled them in on how their battle had gone, including how Izuka had healed them all afterwards. Stain had originally had several broken bones and some internal bleeding, but Izuka had healed that up, only leaving his bruises and burns unhealed. From there, Drake and Sardonyx reported how their own fights with the Noumus had gone and by the time they were done, they had received a report that Endeavor and Celsius had beaten their own opponent and were now heading towards them.

The Battle at Hosu was coming to an end, but the Heroes had been wrong about one thing; there hadn't been Six Noumus… there had been Seven.

Suddenly, the entire group began to gasp and fall to their knees, struggling to breath as all the air was sucked away from them. They gasped and choked, trying to run to where there was air, but a powerful vacuum kept them in place, and without oxygen, they couldn't even call for help. As they all tried desperately to breath, Izuka recognised the feeling and managed to turn to see the source; a Chameleon-like Noumu; the Anti-Phoenix Noumu from the USJ!

As soon as Izuka noticed it, the creature leapt and opened it's mouth wide, its tongue shooting out and wrapping around Izuka before pulling her in, swallowing her whole. Since the USJ, the Noumu had been further adapted to include small spines in its stomach that could deliver a powerful sedative, so the moment Izuka was swallowed whole, she was knocked out.

With Izuka now trapped within the Noumu's body, it leapt away, ending the vacuum so the shocked Heroes could breathe. They breathed in hungrily, before fully realising what had happened and began chasing after the fleeing Noumu.

"GET DOWN!" Diablo Red suddenly screamed, as the Gargoyle Noumu swooped down and grabbed the Anti-Phoenix Noumu, taking off with it and the girl trapped inside, the blood from the wound it received from Endeavor splattering the heroes as it went.

"SERAPHIM!" Drake roared, breathing out as much flame as he could. The other Heroes tried to attack too, but the Gargoyle was already flying too fast and too high for them to reach.

"NO! IT'LL TAKE IZUKA TO THE LEAGUE!" Tenya cried, trying to run after the Noumu but not having the strength left to catch up.

Drake screamed furiously, trying desperately to make his flames reach the enemy, when he suddenly felt a wet tongue slide across his cheek.

Stain, having regained consciousness and cut himself free with a knife hidden in his wristband, lapped up the Noumu's blood from Drake's face and forced the Gargoyle to freeze and begin falling to the ground. The Heroes looked on in shock and fear as Stain charged forward and leapt onto the falling Noumu, stabbing it in the brain and killing it just as it hit the ground.

"Fake Heroes, and the Foul Criminals they fight are all cancers on the face of society… and I will purge it all! The power of the Phoenix is too great a weapon for either you Heroes, or the League of Villains. I must destroy it! This girl is mine until then!" Stain declared, gripping the squirming Lizard Noumu by the throat and carving it open like a frog being dissected. He pulled Izuka's unconscious form from within the beast's stomach, wiping some of the creature's blood and slime from the girl's face.

That was the moment that Endeavor, Miruko and Shoto (still unconscious on his father's back) arrived, running at Stain with fury on their faces, "Release the Girl! We won't hesitate to incinerate you if you don't!"

"Not going to happen!" declared a voice from a megaphone. The group suddenly looked up to see a Helicopter flying above them, with three men standing in the open side and wielding bazookas. The man in the middle was the masked lieutenant of the Eight Precepts; Chronostasis, "Stain, good work. We'll get you and the girl out of here." he said, signalling for his allies. The other men on the helicopter began bombarding the city with their weapons, kicking up clouds of dust and debris to distract the heroes. In the chaos, a rope ladder was dropped from the Helicopter and Stain grabbed it.

The Heroes were forced to watch helplessly as the Eight Precepts and Stain fled, with Izuka still in their possession. Tenya dropped to his knees, Izuka had been captured, and it was all his fault.


	12. The Eight Precepts of Death Part 1

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 12: Eight Precepts of Death Part 1**

It was a sullen and worried band of heroes that found themselves sitting in the Police Station of Hosu, having just finished putting out the fires and evacuating the civilians that were put at risk by the Eight Precepts bombardment of the city. The Government and Media were both going crazy, as the attack on Hosu by both the League and the Eight Precepts resulted in the two groups becoming the most infamous villains of the Eastern Hemisphere. The fact that Stain had teamed up with the latter and kidnapped Izuka was another blow to the Heroes, and it was Endeavor that drew the short straw in having to explain what happened to All-Might and the U.A Heroes when they finally arrived in Hosu. The only hint of good news was that all the Noumus (other than the one Koda now controlled) had been destroyed, and that by Stain's own admission and actions in destroying two Noumu, he wasn't working with the League any more.

During all this, Tenya could do nothing but wallow in his guilt, waiting for the teachers to turn their ire on him once Endeavor had finished telling them what happened.

"Shit!" All-Might cursed, cracking his knuckles angrily, "We've already received information that the Eight Precepts have a weapon capable of permanently destroying quirks. If they use it on Izuka, she'll be mortal and completely vulnerable!"

Tenya, hearing this, gasped and felt tears well in his eyes. He dropped to his knees and bowed to All-Might, touching his head to the floor, "I am so sorry! This is all my fault! If I hadn't stupidly pursued the Hero Killer, Izuka would never have been put at risk!"

All-Might, kind as he was, moved to comfort Tenya, but Aizawa stopped him. "Iida, sit up." the man ordered. Tenya reluctantly sat up, preparing himself for Aizawa's scolding.

"What you did today was, without a doubt, a serious breach of the rules that govern Heroes and a breach of our trust. We will be discussing this more in-depth when the Internship Period is over, but until then, now is not the time to wallow in self-pity." Aizawa said sternly. He truly was angry with Iida, but rescuing his kidnapped student was more important, "We have a few advantages however. We have multiple heroes gathered together, we have time on our side, as it has only been an hour or so, AND we have a way of finding Izuka and the Precepts' Base. With any luck, we'll be able to track down and rescue her before the Media gets wind of the kidnapping and more importantly, before the Precepts can destroy her quirk."

Shoto stepped forward; "We'll help." he said, Koda nodding beside him.

"I wish to help as well. Please, allow me to make amends for my mistake." Tenya begged.

"No." Nezu said, speaking for the first time; "You three fought well today, but the Eight Precepts are professional criminals, not mindless beasts like the Noumus. We will not allow students to fight them! It took three Heroes and a remarkable quirk to defeat the leader of the Precepts, Overhaul, so we will not risk it. Iida..." Nezu looked to Tenya, "We will discuss your actions once Izuka is rescued. Be warned, while Izuka's word will have an effect on your fate, it will be up to Aizawa-sensei and myself to decide what happens to you."

"Yes Sir..." Tenya said dejectedly. His older brother patted him on the back.

"Come on Tenya, chin up. You made a mistake; it's time to be a man and deal with the consequences." Tensei said. He was a little disappointed in Tenya's actions, but he couldn't deny that he'd likely have done the same or worse in his shoes. Tenya was always the most sensible member of the family.

"U.A is one thing, I'd be more worried about Bakugou." Shoto cut in, "You know that Izuka will tell him everything. Be prepared for that."

Tenya gulped. Suddenly, he wished he was fighting Stain again instead!

All-Might, ignoring the antics of the children, pulled at the GPS Tracker he'd been given by Haru. It showed Eri at U.A, and Izuka moving rapidly, showing she was still in transit on the helicopter. Based on the information that the Government already had on the Eight Precepts and the direction the Helicopter was flying in, the Heroes were able to quickly deduce that Izuka was being taken to Jyaku Ward, where the Yakuza Boss that ran the Precepts before Overhaul had lived. It was a ward that neighboured the Musutafu City Centre, which explained how Eri had been able to get from the Precept's Base to the City Centre so quickly on foot.

"We have the location of the Base she's being taken to. Now we need the team." Aizawa-sensei said.

"I am joining. Seraphim is my Intern, and having her kidnapped from under my nose is a stain on my honour!" Endeavor declared.

"I will as well." Flare Drake said. The other Sidekicks of Endeavor offered to come too, but Endeavor refused as they were still needed to help in Hosu, and to keep the Agency staffed. Naturally, Shoto was also forced to stay back, as he didn't have a Hero License.

"I'll come as well. Anima tells me that this Izuka girl is a little bunny like myself, so I want to see her!" Miruko smiled.

"I wish to come as well. The Iida Family owe two debts to her now, so I will fight to repay them." Ingenium added.

"With Eraserhead and myself, that makes Six. I think that with the standard Police Support, that should be enough." All-Might said.

Tenya stood up, "Please sir, I know I cannot assist you directly, but please allow me to work with the Police in their support! Even if its just running and getting coffee or supplies! I need to do something!"

Manual, Tenya's Pro-Hero Supervisor stepped forward; "If it helps, I will assist the Police as well and keep an eye on him."

Aizawa scowled, but turned to Nezu; "It's your call, Principal Nezu."

The Mouse (Bear-Dog-Whatever) hummed, then looked at Tenya with a piercing glare; "I will allow you, as well as Todoroki and Koda to support the Police under the supervision of Manual. However… if any of you three try to interfere in the battle you will be expelled. Defending yourselves or the Police from attack is fine, but do NOT seek a fight! Am I understood."

"Yes sir! Thank you sir!" Tenya bowed again, Koda and Shoto joining him.

With that said, the Izuka Rescue Team departed to Jyaku Ward in several unmarked cars to avoid drawing attention. It would take a few hours (damn the Precepts for taking out the tracks for the Bullet Train) but they were sure they could make it to Izuka in time!

" _Hold on tight, my girl! Papa's coming!"_ Toshinori thought.

 **[TWO HOURS LATER, EIGHT PRECEPTS BASE]**

Izuka felt oddly warm and comfortable as she slowly began to regain consciousness. Her eyes were heavy and her body was tired, so she struggled to properly wake up, instead just squirming in the bed she was on. She scowled with her eyes closed… a bed? Why was she in bed? The last thing she remembered had been meeting up with Drake after beating Stain, then she couldn't breath and was being swallowed up by something…

Izuka's eyes snapped open and she sat up with a gasp. She remembered; it had been that Anti-Phoenix Noumu from the USJ! It had appeared and kidnapped her! She'd passed out once she was swallowed. Looking around urgently, she squeaked when she realised where she was… it was a bare stone room with numerous childish toys scattered about, all still in their original packaging. The bed she was on was large and clean, and Izuka herself had been changed into different clothing; she now had a plain white gown, similar to a closed back Hospital Gown. That alone freaked Izuka out; it was a larger version of what Eri had been wearing when she was rescued! It didn't take much to work out she was in Eri's old room at the Eight Precepts' Base.

The Girl began to panic; a pair of black bands on her wrists were suppressing her quirk so she couldn't fight and call for help with her links, and with her costume taken, she didn't have any of the tools or gear that could help her! Her one comfort was that she'd been taken by the Precepts and not the League, but she had no idea of whether she'd be kept by the Precepts, ransomed for Overhaul or sold to the League, or perhaps something even worse! It didn't help that she'd obviously been dressed while she was unconscious, as her underwear was different too!

"Finally awake, I see." came a voice, startling Izuka. She agilely flipped behind the bed and ducked, peeking out over the side as Stain made himself known. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. I've been stood here for the last half hour to protect you." Stain said, leaning against the door out of the room.

"Where am I!? What did you do!?" Izuka demanded.

Stain smirked and briefly explained what had happened after she'd been knocked out by the Noumu. "I wonder if you'd consider your kindness to be a blessing or a curse now." Stain said. "If you hadn't healed me, I'd never have been able to capture you and escape, but if you'd left me injured, I might not have been able to save you from the League's monster."

Izuka frowned; "I didn't want to heal you, but if I'd left you like that, you could have died." she muttered.

"True. I'm happy about that. The only one allowed to kill me is All-Might; a true hero!" Stain said grandly, "But I will say, thank you for healing me. I'll be sure to continue repaying that little debt."

"You could repay it by letting me go!" Izuka spat.

"Not going to happen, at least not yet. Sorry to say this Girl, but with that quirk of yours, I can't let you wander around freely. Any Villain or Hero that got you in their grasp could use you to change the very face of society. I won't allow that." Stain said, "The Precepts have a drug that destroys quirks, based on the blood of that person that was rescued a short time ago."

Izuka paled; he was talking about Eri. Her fear turned to anger and she glared fiercely at the Hero Killer; "If you had anything to do with what they did to Eri, I swear I'll make you pay!" she said, more hate in her voice than she thought possible.

Stain looked momentarily surprised, "Eri? Who is this woman to you?"

"Woman!? She's Six! These monsters tortured her! I saw and healed all her scars myself!" Izuka yelled.

The Killer's eyes narrowed, before looking around the room, specifically at the unopened toys. When he'd first come into this room, he'd assumed the Precepts had gathered them for Izuka, not truly realising that a teenager wouldn't be interested in such childish things, but with what the girl had just said, their true purpose became obvious. "I see. In that case, I will be sure to purge these Yakuza scum. I am no abuser of children; I seek only to kill Villains and Fake Heroes. If it were not for your power, I would have let you roam freely."

Izuka frowned, "So you really didn't have anything to do with Eri? I'm happy about that, but I won't forgive you for the things you've done. Ingenium is a good person and a True Hero, and poor Tenya didn't deserve to be hurt by you!"

Stain shrugged, "I have no intention of debating with you. My conviction will not be shaken by the words of a child. I will admit being surprised however; I expected you to be more worried about your quirk being destroyed."

"Well it hasn't happened yet, right?" Izuka pointed out, "Otherwise I wouldn't be needing these." she raised her hands to show the Quirk suppressors on her wrists. "Why hasn't it been done yet anyway? I'd have thought you'd have done it immediately and then dumped me somewhere, rather than let me wake up in the Precepts' Base." she stated. Even with her quirks suppressed, Izuka could still control her mental fortress, so she was using it to suppress her fear. Otherwise, she'd be terrified of what the Eight Precepts had planned for her.

"When we brought you here a short time ago, the current leader of the Precepts, a weird guy by the name of Chronostasis, took some blood from you and said he wanted to run some tests. I supervised some female maids from the house above as they bathed you and dressed you in what you're currently wearing. You were covered in blood and slime from the lizard thing that swallowed you." Stain explained, "I believe that the Precepts plan to ransom you for their leader. But these Yakuza are all scum, and they are known for committing the most depraved of crimes." he looked Izuka in the eye, "They'll likely torture you and use you as a play thing before either killing you or selling you off to the League of Villains. That's why I'm guarding you; part of my deal with them is that once they destroy your quirk, they let you go."

Izuka scoffed, "There's no way they'll do that. I helped put their leader behind bars."

Stain nodded, "I figured as much. Once your quirks are destroyed, I'll slaughter the fools when their backs are turned and take you back to U.A. Sorry Girl, but your career ends here."

The conversation between the two died out, as Izuka felt there was no point in arguing with the Hero Killer, and Stain had no desire to give away any more information about himself. Izuka used the silence to look around the room and examine everything, looking for something that could help her escape. They were underground, so there was no windows and the only door out of the room was behind Stain, who was fully armed with new blades he'd taken from around the Eight Precepts' base (mostly scalpels and Japanese style Katanas and Tantos) so getting past him without her quirks was going to be impossible. The other door led to a small bathroom with just a toilet and sink. There were a couple of air vents, but they were all too small to fit in and were covered by metal grates.

The girl scowled; her only escape was to either get the Quirk Suppressors off or sneak past Stain, both of which were practically impossible. She briefly looked at the toys around the room, hoping for something she might be able to use as a weapon, but most were cheap plastic or plushies, so that plan quickly fell apart. Izuka examined the Quirk Suppressors; they were standard black bands made of a strong alloy and coated in the Quirk Suppressing Substance, so cutting them off wasn't going to happen and the locks were electronic, requiring code-keys to open so they couldn't be picked. Her eyes darted from the bracelets to her wrists, and then to Stain and his blades. Maybe if she goaded him into a fight, he'd cut off her hands in anger and allow her to slip off the bracelets? She could then link up with Shoji to regrow her hands without wasting her blood on healing herself.

With a solid plan finally in place, Izuka subtly got up and began fiddling with one of the cheap plastic toys, drawing Stain's attention for a second, before causing him to look away disinterestedly. Izuka smirked and began to edge towards the man, preparing to attack when she was startled by a hard knock on the door. Stain narrowed his eyes and gestured to Izuka, ordering her to go sit on the bed while his hand went to his sheathed sword.

"Who is it?" Stain demanded.

"Quit the crap, Hero Killer~" a man's voice slurred, clearly drunk, "Me and…. Huh… Me and Katsukame got told to come see the girl."

There was a sound like something hard impacting something soft, and the Drunk squeaked and complained incoherently as another, deeper voice took over; "It's Rikiya Katsukame and Deidoro Sakaki."

Izuka didn't recognise the names, but Stain did. When he'd arrived with the unconscious Izuka, Chronostasis had introduced him to the important personnel, namely the General Manager: Mimic and the Eight Expendables, which included these two. "Who sent you to see the girl?" Stain asked.

The deeper voice spoke; "Chrono."

Stain frowned, but nodded and opened the door, allowing the two men in. Izuka's eyes widened at the two. The Drunk, Deidoro Sakaki was wearing black pants and a big furry vest, as well as a mask with no features beyond two large, drain-like eye holes. He had long, greasy black hair and he was also still drinking and he reeked of alcohol. The other man, Rikiya Katsukame, was a huge man with rippling muscles that wore jeans, a black tank-top, strange shoulder pads and a bird-like plague mask that covered his entire head.

Both looked at Izuka, and while she couldn't see their eyes, she could feel them on her. It made her skin crawl. Stain hadn't taken his hands off the hilt of his sword as he turned to speak; "So is Chronostasis ready for her?"

"Huh? Oh right, the Quirk Destroyer. Nah, he'll be a while yet. Wants to do tests with this girlie's blood. He thinks we could synthesize a permanent Trigger Effect from her blood. We gotta keep her alive and all quirked up until Chrono is done." Deidoro said between gulps of liquor.

Stain's eyes narrowed, "That wasn't part of the deal." he growled.

Deidoro ignored him, but Rikiya raised a hand, "Relax, Hero Killer. One way or another, this brat will be out of your way for good."

"Yeah, relax man!" Deidoro smirked.

Stain growled again, "Well then, go tell your master that the girl is awake and properly confined."

"Not so fast~" the Drunk slurred, turning back to fully look at Izuka, who was beginning to feel panicked even with her fear suppressed, "We complained to Chrono that we were bored, so he told us we could come play with this little thing." he hiccuped.

Izuka gasped quietly and Stain's expression became murderous. "She is not a toy to be played with!"

"Man, you sound just like Boss Overhaul! He was an awesome guy, always let me drink however much I wanted! But he never let us play with Eri either. We never got to play with her, but we've got a girl right here now, and we're allowed to do what we want! Gotta punish her for getting the Boss captured." Deidoro sneered lecherously.

Rikiya nodded, "Yeah, we've got to make sure she's properly sorry for her actions." his eyes roamed Izuka's shaking form, "She's a lot more developed than Eri was too. Plus I can taste the Vitality coming off her already! I'm going to enjoy this!"

Deidoro chuckled darkly and offered his liquor to Izuka, "Hey girlie, wanna a drink?"

Izuka squeaked and slapped the bottle away, making it smash against the ground. "I'm only Fifteen, you pervert!"

"Oh, you shouldn't have done that!" Deidoro growled, gripping Izuka's wrists, "Fifteen is nothing, why you're practically a grown woman already! I'll show you the games that adults play, though I wish there was more to play with..." he complained, reaching a hand out to grope Izuka's chest.

Powerless, Izuka closed her eyes tightly and began blocking everything out, but before she could do much, she felt something heavy, warm and wet fall into her lap. Opening her eyes, Izuka screamed as she realised that the thing that fell into her lap was the severed head of Deidoro. Panicking, she shoved the thing off her lap, where it rolled to the floor to join the body it had once been attached to, blood pouring across the floor and staining Izuka's bare feet.

Rikiya shouted something, but his words became naught but gurgles as Stain's blade found itself sheathed in the man's neck before he could react. The larger man fell beside his headless comrade, slowly but surely dying. Stain glared down at the two men he'd just killed, wiping his blade clean on their clothes. "It seems my alliance with the Eight Precepts has just ended." he muttered darkly.

Izuka gulped, trying not to look at the gory scene as she carefully walked around the bodies, her blood stain feet leaving red foot prints wherever she stepped. "W-What do we do now?" she asked. Stain may be the enemy, but at least he wasn't going to allow her to be tortured or killed, and right now, her best bet at escaping was working with him.

"My best bet would be to kill my way through this place, capture Chronostasis and force him to destroy your quirk. However… I'm not stupid. This place is crawling with low level thugs, as well as the remaining Six Expendables, these men's comrades. We'll also have Chronostasis and that strange flunky, Mimic to deal with." Stain said. "I doubt I could get through on my own while protecting you, and there's nowhere I can hide you while I work." he pointed to a white circle on the ceiling that was identical to the lights, but a little duller; "I've seen those before. They're disguised security cameras. The enemy probably already know what happened and the cameras are everywhere."

"Then let me free! At the very least, we share an enemy right now! With my quirks, I can fight and help us both get out of here alive!" Izuka yelled.

Stain frowned, "Even if I was willing, I can't. I don't possess the keys to those cuffs."

Izuka snorted; "You've got a sword."

The man's eyes widened a bit, "You're serious? You're telling me to cut off your hands? I told you, I have no interest in hurting you."

Izuka growled; "Don't give me that! You were willing to torture Tenya to draw me out, so we both know you aren't afraid to hurt kids! Plus, you damaged me plenty during our fight."

"Harming a fake hero and causing damage in a fight is not the same thing!" Stain snapped.

"Oh come on! The League has done worse to me, and if you don't do this, the Precepts will overwhelm and kill you, then do even worse things to me! You're the Hero Killer; just cut off my damn hands or leave your sword and I'll do it myself!" Izuka screamed at him.

Stain was silenced for a moment, but he could hear shouting voices coming towards the room. It was now or never; "Fine. Hold out your wrists and keep them steady so I have a clean cut!"

With only the tiniest bit of hesitation, Izuka obediently held her wrists out in front of her, keeping the bands together so that a single stroke would take both hands off just behind the bands. Before being given a chance to brace herself, Stain's blade flashed and her hands fell to the floor along with the Quirk Suppressor Bands. Izuka shrieked in surprise before the pain hit her, then he screamed in earnest, only stopping a few seconds later when she clamped her mouth shut. _"Link Up: Shoji!"_ she thought, forming the link and quickly using the boy's Dupli-Arms quirk to painfully regenerate her hands. Unlike Shoji, who could restore and manipulate his limbs painlessly, Izuka suffered greatly, and by the time she was done, she further surprised Stain by puffing out pink flame from her mouth, as in her torment, she'd bitten through her tongue and now healed it.

"That sucked." Izuka muttered bitterly, casting a fireball at her hands and reducing it to ash, before burning all the blood away by converting it all to pink flames. "There, now there's none of my DNA about. I don't want these Precepts escaping with a piece of me if I can help it." Izuka explained as Stain curiously poked at the ash with his sword.

"You're a tough little girl." Stain commented.

"Like I said, I've been through worse." Izuka replied, opening more links. She established links with Tenya, Shoto and Aizawa, so she could let them know what's happening.

" _Izuka! What's happening, where are you!?"_ Tenya's urgent voice shouted down the link.

Izuka winced at the volume before replying; _"Tenya, calm down. I'm okay, I promise. The Eight Precepts left me in a room with Stain. Long story short, some Mid-Level Yakuza tried to rape me, but Stain turned on them and killed them. Now the whole base is going to be after us. I have no idea where we are either, just that we're somewhere to the east of you guys."_ she explained. Izuka could vaguely tell the direction of a person linked to her, and the rough distance, though it was difficult to pinpoint them if she didn't know where she herself was.

" _Stain saved you?"_ That was Shoto, his tone only barely showing the fear he felt.

" _Yeah, like I said, it's a long story. I'll explain when we escape. For now, Stain and I are going to work together, but I'll be honest, I don't know if the two of us alone can beat the entire gang."_ Izuka explained.

" _Don't worry. A team of Heroes and Police are on there way. We'll be twenty minutes at the most. We're following the tracker in your pendant."_ Aizawa spoke for the first time, sounding just as worried as Tenya, though much more controlled.

" _Aizawa-sensei! The pendant will bring you here, but I don't have it on me. They took my costume. I'll try and find it, but I think this place it pretty big."_ the girl replied.

" _Do what you can, but be cautious. Don't trust the Hero Killer if you can help it, and if you have any trouble at all, retreat and try to hold up until we arrive."_ her teacher warned.

Izuka nodded, before remembering he couldn't see her, then answered through the link, _"Yes sir! I'll see you all soon!"_

The Links remained open, but fell silent so all involved remained focused. Izuka kept her link with Shoji (the boy didn't speak over the link, but his link radiated worry). She turned to Stain; "Heroes and the Police are on their way here. They're tracking me, but I need my pendant for them to find me properly."

Stain nodded; "I believe Chronostasis took your costume. He likely wanted some more blood samples from it, though those pink flames burned most of it away."

That was the last word said before the door burst open and a unit of about twenty masked Yakuza burst in. Stain responded by slicing the first of them in two and Izuka grimaced; when fighting alongside a Villain, she had to expect him to kill. Still, she'd fight her way. Leaping into the fight, she defeated four Yakuza quickly by diving between the legs of one and pulling them out from under him, then using him as a cudgel to beat three more into unconsciousness. Knowing that each person she knocked out would also be a life saved from Stain, Izuka worked fast, leaping back and forth and punching, kicking, elbowing and kneeing the enemy into submission. In the end, 17 of the Yakuza fell at her feet, with only a total of three dying to Stain's blade. The Hero Killer scowled at first, then smirked and gently cuffed Izuka across the head.

"You just took out more than fifteen people in the space of two minutes. If you had any other quirk, I'd have tried to recruit you to help in my crusade, or at least followed your career as a Hero." Stain chuckled darkly, "Though you're too soft to be of use to my purge."

Izuka scowled; "Like I'd want to be a killer anyway! I understand that sometimes, to save the lives of many innocents, you have to sacrifice the life of a villain, but there's no excuse to kill Heroes that save lives, just because you don't like why they do it!"

Stain nodded; "I agree with the first part. A True Hero doesn't simply kill." he said, beginning to walk down the narrow halls of the base, Izuka on his heels, "True Heroes save others by sacrificing themselves, either their blood or just their time. A True Hero is someone that doesn't seek reward or compensation and is willing to give up everything to do what's right. Heroes like All-Might… they are True Heroes. You're on your way to becoming one yourself. But the world has become infatuated with these fakes. Heroes that do it for fame, money or to satisfy some personal agenda… these people are nothing but Mercenaries with Quirks! People like that don't deserve the name of Hero!"

"You're an idealist… As much as I hate to admit it, I sort of agree with some of what you've said." Izuka sighed, "A lot of heroes are bad people. Some want to use others' misfortune to get rich, or just want to be able to legally hurt others. But while the ones that want to hurt others are definitely people I'd refuse to consider Heroes, the rest of them are helping. Lives are saved, Villains are captured; peace is maintained and the public has hope! As long as that is happening, I don't think it matters why the Heroes do what they do. And even with the worst of these Heroes, I can't accept killing them as the right thing to do! Plus isn't it hypocritical of you to talk about Heroes satisfying their own agenda when that's exactly what you're doing?"

"I know that I am not a Hero." Stain said wistfully. Clearly, he had once wanted to be. "Heroes are far above the likes of me. But for as long as there are True Heroes fighting for the sake of a Just and Moral Society, there must be the creatures that crawl in the shadow and cut out the cancer that the Heroes can't see."

Izuka shook her head; "That's nonsense. Heroes are just people. Even Heroes like All-Might are just people." She had learned that early on; as a little girl, Izuka had thought of Heroes in a similar way to Stain, as these almost mythical beings so out of reach of mere mortals and that it was for people like her to try and climb to those lofty heights. But between All for One and All-Might, Izuka learned the truth; Heroes were just Human… they ate and drank, loved and hated, laughed and cried and at the end of it all, they died, just like every other person. They bled the same as anyone. "I have a few friends at school..." Izuka began, "One admitted to wanting to be a Hero for the money, but it wasn't out of selfishness; she just wants to support her family. Tenya didn't hunt you down just because of some silly persona agenda; he was truly hurt by what you did to his older brother. He was wrong to do what he did, but it just means he's another person that made a mistake, like everyone else on the planet. You wanted to kill him for that."

"Fakes are fakes!" Stain snapped.

"And Humans are Humans! Everyone slips, everyone screws up and everyone has their own reasons for what they do! As stupid as he was to do it, Tenya faced you knowing full well he could die, as did Koda! I won't let you besmirch them and or any of the other Heroes that save lives, regardless of their reasons!" Izuka declared. Her hands were burning with deep ruby flames, but it was the emerald flames in her eyes that gave Stain pause. He still believed he was right; he had poured his entire being into his conviction, to the point it could never be shaken, but he had to admire the conviction of the girl before him.

A question that had been bothering him came to his lips, "Do you not fear death? Do you never stop to think your Resurrection is limited? Like the idea of a Cat having nine lives, perhaps your own is numbered too. There's no way of knowing, until it is too late." Stain said.

Izuka paused and tilted her head, as if seriously considering her answer before turning back to the Killer. "If I tell you this, I want a promise that you won't tell anyone else; Hero or Villain or anyone."

Stain nodded, silently promising.

"The answer to your question is yes. Every time." Izuka confessed. "Every time I jump into a fight, every time I'm about to die, I think to myself "Is this it? Will this be the last time?" and I'm scared. Like you said, I have no way of knowing if my revival is limited so any time I get killed could be the last time. I was really worried about that at the USJ and when healing Tensei, since I knew that if those were my last lives, I'd be hurting a lot of people with my death."

Stain's eyes widened; "And yet you still sacrifice yourself so willingly?"

"Of course. After all, no one knows when they're going to die. I just use my power as much as I can to help others and if one day, I die and I can't come back any more, then at least I died for a good reason. It's scary though, but I suppose it's even scarier for the people that know that they definitely won't come back." Izuka said. She had never told this to anyone before, as they were all either friends who would worry for her, or enemies that would exploit it. Stain was an enemy, but he didn't seem the type to hold such a thing against her.

Before Stain could reply, more Yakuza found them and this time, the halls were filled with over fifty of the small fry gang members. Stain watched as Izuka leapt at them without hesitation.

" _Interesting… A Child with the same "light" as All-Might… Let's see what you can really do, Seraphim!"_


	13. The Eight Precepts of Death Part 2

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 13: Eight Precepts of Death Part 2**

Outside the Eight Precepts Base, which was located beneath a Japanese Manor in Jyaku Ward, a pair of men were squatting together, smoking as they kept a look out. They were low-level members of the gang, below the Expendables and the more experienced gangsters, which was why the pair of them were stuck guarding the front door.

"Did ya here? Apparently it's all going nuts in there." the older man muttered, fiddling with his phone.

"Yeah, I saw the alert call. That Hero Killer went wild and sliced up a bunch of our guys, including Deidoro and Rikiya of the Expendables!" the younger replied.

"Aw man, things are going to be bad when Boss Overhaul gets back. Deidoro was kind of the runt of the Expendables, but Rikiya was a big player! He's right up there with Kendo." the older man complained, taking a long drag on his cigarette.

The younger one nodded, "Not only that, they're saying the girl we captured got free of her restraints! She's taken out even more guys than the Hero Killer, though I hear she hasn't killed anyone, 'cause she's a Hero Wannabe or some shit."

"Yeah, they've been running wild for like twenty minutes already. Chronostasis is probably going to give the order for the Expendables to gang up on 'em soon. Shame about the girl; she's kinda scrawny, but she was cute too. By the time we get off guard duty, the other's will of spoiled her, so we'll get no fun." the older one complained, spitting his cigarette butt to the ground and stamping on it.

"How interesting!" came a sudden voice, and the two Yakuza turned around and paled instantly as they were faced by a very large, very angry All-Might, "I came here to pick up that girl you mentioned!" he said, fake cheerful tone clashing with his furious gaze. He suddenly smashed the older man in the face, sending him crashing through the gates of the Eight Precepts Compound, before he grabbed the other man by the throat and held him up. Behind All-Might, five other heroes; Endeavor, Flare Drake, Ingenium, Eraserhead and Miruko were glaring at the captured gangster, and behind them was a small army of police officers. The Younger Gangster yelped in fear as All-Might brought his face close to the man; "Give the other Precepts a message for me, won't you Young Man?" he said, pulling his arm back as he went to throw the man, "Tell them, that ALL-MIGHT IS HERE!" he roared, tossing the man into the compound.

The entire place quickly descended into the usual controlled chaos of a Police Raid, as the Heroes led small squads of officers into the building and quickly found the entrance to the underground section of the base. The Hero Interns and remaining Police Officers set up their control point in the front yard of the estate and quickly began hauling the small fry Yakuza away to the Police Trucks that had been prepared. The Eight Precepts were in complete disarray; their underground base was actually a maze of identical corridors full of dead-ends and useless rooms, designed in such a way that Overhaul could easily reconstruct the lay out as he wished with his quirk, but without Overhaul with them, the Precepts couldn't use their base's biggest advantage and not only that, with Stain and Izuka running around too, they were splitting their attention between four different groups of opponents; All-Might working alone, Endeavor working alone, Miruko and Flare Drake working together, and Ingenium and Eraserhead working together, not to mention Stain and Izuka being an annoying fifth group that had already taken out two Expendables and a large number of grunts.

All-Might was working efficiently as he methodically went down each corridor he came to, memorising the maze of hallways as he went, trying to follow the tracker that linked him to Izuka's pendant. Unfortunately for the Number One Hero; the tracker used GPS to make the map, so it didn't do much to help him navigate an indoor place aside from acting like a compass. The Man was sorely tempted to just start smashing through walls, but doing so would only likely cause a collapse. All-Might was usually much more patient and contained, but hearing from Aizawa that someone had tried to rape his daughter, and hearing the gate guards wishing that they could have done so just infuriated him.

This anger hadn't abated at all by the time All-Might ran into his first adversaries within the base. He had come across a large, empty room full to the brim with men and women in the garb of the Eight Precepts. The moment they saw him, half of the screamed and ran away, not foolish enough to take on the Number One Hero, while the other half desperately attacked with their quirks, cudgels or guns.

"TEXAS SMASH!" All-Might roared, delivering an immensely powerful straight punch that sent everyone in front of him flying backward. The wind pressure produced was enough to deflect what few bullets had already been shot, and the entire room was cleared as dozens of low-level gangsters were smashed away by the force of the Hero's attack. The force of the attack had even cracked the stone walls and floors, making All-Might silently admonish himself for losing control of his temper.

"Amazing! You took out all of 'em with one punch! That's the power of the Number One Hero for ya!" came a voice. All-Might put his arms up to guard any sneak attacks, but the speaker happily revealed himself, busting through what was evidently a fake wall (or a dead-end that Overhaul could reconstruct). The man that appeared was a well-build man with long, blond hair and wearing a plain t-shirt and dark pants, as well as brass knuckles and the Eight Precepts' staple plague mask, which was more like a vaguely bird-shaped black sack that had been lazily tossed over the man's head.

Behind this large man was another, normal size-d man dressed in a black kimono and a white bird mask that only covers his nose and mouth. His hair was short, blond and spiky and he kept his eyes closed, evoking a monk-like image. "Mr. All-Might, I apologise, but we cannot allow you to progress further. Please retreat." the smaller man asked kindly.

All-Might scoffed; "If you think I'll run away while one of my students is in your grasp, then you are fools!"

"Hey man, I agree with you! Don't you dare go running off! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to fight the Number One!" the bigger man said, "The name's Kendo Rappa, and this here is Hekiji Tengai! We're two of the Eight Expendables, though two of our number got killed trying to mess with that Midoriya kid." the newly introduced Rappa laughed. "Serves 'em right though! Taking on a kid that can't fight back is fucking shameful!"

"For once, we are in agreement." Tengai muttered. "They pursued a selfish desire for pleasures of the flesh, and were struck down as a result. It is pitiable, but that is what happens to those that go against the will of Master Chisaki."

Toshinori frowned; "Not exactly very close to your comrades, are you?"

Tengai shook his head; "It was Master Chisaki's policy that we do not defile our captives. It was the same with Young Eri. Midoriya may have taken Master Chisaki from us, but that does not give us the excuse to defy his wisdom."

"I couldn't care less what Chisaki wanted! I just wanted to kick his ass, but he always beat me! Midoriya was supposedly one of people that took him down, so I wanted to fight her and see how strong she is!" Rappa exclaimed, growing impatient, "But I don't need to now! Her boss is here! Fight me, All-Might!" Rappa shouted happily, leaping at All-Might and throwing a flurry of punches.

All-Might scowled and retaliated, meeting each punch with one of his own, quickly matching and pushing back Rappa. Rappa's quirk was Strong Shoulder; which allowed him to rotate and move his shoulders at extreme speed and with immense power, allowing him to throw devastatingly fast and strong punches. As strong as the man was, he was no match for All-Might and his mastery of One for All, who with a single punch, knocked the Expendable backward, before delivering a fierce Detroit Smash that struck Rappa's head and knocked him out cold. As All-Might's blow had struck, he'd been momentarily surprised when he felt something shattering like glass beneath his fist right before it landed.

As Rappa hit the ground, unconscious, Tengai fell back, startled. "I-Impossible! He crushed my barrier with one blow!?" he cried, losing his composure.

"Barrier? I thought I felt something there… Be aware, Villain, that my punches can level entire city blocks if I wish them to! Not even a solid steel wall can stop my Smashes! Now..." All-Might grabbed Tengai by the front of his kimono and lifted him up, "Where is Izuka Midoriya?"

Tengai shuddered, but shook his head, "I will never betray Master Chisaki or Master Chrono! Do your worst, All-Might!"

"Tch… I should have knocked you out and interrogated the other one." All-Might complained, before quickly choking Tengai into unconsciousness and cuffing him, along with Rappa and the other unconscious Precept Members.

Stopping to ensure that they were all properly secure (the police officers following him had lagged behind thanks to the Pro's speed), All-Might thought carefully. With Overhaul captured, two of the Expendables beaten by All-Might and two more killed by Stain, the number of known members that could pose a threat was reduced to six; the remaining four Expendables, this "Chrono" figure and a strange figure that was said to be small and almost like a weird doll. With a determined glint in his eye, All-Might marched on, eager to find his daughter before she was exposed to any more of the Hero Killer's murderous ways.

 **[WITH INGENIUM AND ERASERHEAD]**

The Turbo Hero and the Eraser Hero were racing down the corridors, effortlessly taking out gangsters as they went, the police squad that accompanied them arresting the downed enemies along the way. It was incredibly easy; these weren't really villains, instead being small-fry criminals that had been promised better pay with the Eight Precepts as opposed to their individual criminal careers. Most could barely fight with their quirks, relying on clubs, pipes, knives and guns instead. The melee weapons were of no consequence, since both Ingenium and Eraserhead were more than skilled enough to counter them, but the guns did cause some trouble, as with the narrow halls, it was very hard to dodge. The police had to lend the two heroes a couple of their Riot Shields so they could get through the hail of gunfire.

"How many of these thugs are there!?" Ingenium scowled, panting after taking down yet another group of enemies.

"The Eight Precepts were reported to be over 500 men strong. Chances are, with Overhaul in prison, the whole lot have been recalled here." Aizawa explained, remembering the briefing he had read during the drive to the base. "There is Overhaul, the boss. Then there is Chronostasis and Mimic: the top two executive officers. Then there is the Eight Expendables, who are the main high-class fighters or agents. They control the Mid-Tier Yakuza, who control these idiots."

Ingenium raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet, "How do we know so much about them already?"

"The Police have been gathering data on them for months. The Precepts were originally considered a low-threat group, but joining with the League has intensified things, even though it looks like they've betrayed the League now. The rest of our info comes from the petty crooks we catch and interrogate, what Eri told us and what we've been able to squeeze out of Overhaul himself." Aizawa stated.

The Duo were slowly making their way to a large room at the end of their current corridor. When they arrived, they found it to be a mostly empty storage room, however upon further examination, they found crates stocked full of Trigger that were stacked up in front of a door. Aizawa cautiously moved the crates aside with some help from the police, then opened the door to find a small medical room. It was like a tiny hospital room with a single bed and a few monitoring machines, all hooked up to an old man.

A Police Medic surged forward, quickly examining the man and checking the medical notes at the end of the bed. "He's not a Prisoner. It seems this is Overhaul's predecessor; the last boss of the Precepts back when it was just a Yakuza group." the Medic stated, "He's comatose, according to these notes, he has a form of cancer. Overhaul was treating him with some kind of… blood and tissue transplant? Odd."

Aizawa paled; Overhaul must have been using Eri's blood and tissue in an attempt to "rewind" the cancer, similar to how he had been trying to do the same thing to quirks. Technically, this patient was also Eri's biological grandfather, though as a Yakuza Boss and a potentially terminal cancer patient, it was unlikely he would ever see the girl again, and Eri would likely be blissfully unaware.

Meanwhile, Ingenium was just outside, supervising the police as they carefully gathered the Trigger Crates for confiscation and disposal, when he suddenly felt a shudder go up his spine. Reacting instinctively, the Turbo Hero ducked just in time to avoid a sneak attack as a crystal-covered fist sailed over him, smashing the wall beside where his head had been. Rolling forward with the assistance of his Elbow Engines, Ingenium dodged the follow-up downward smash and quickly turned to face the attacker just as Aizawa ran out to assist him.

Standing before them was two men. The one that had attacked was an average height man with a muscly frame and a bald head. His eyes were hidden partially by his pronounced brow, and he was covered in pale blue crystal protrusions that seemed to grow from his skin. His Precepts mask was a simple medical mask with a slightly beak-like protrusion. The second man wore a large black cloak and a plague doctor's mask along with a black hat, leaving no physical features visible, though it was fairly obvious he was thin and of medium height.

Aizawa's eyes narrowed on the two; "These two match the descriptions for two of the Expendables. The Bald one is definitely Yu Hojo, Quirk: Crystallisation. Not as sure on the other one, but I believe it's Shin Nemoto, Quirk: Unknown." he said to Ingenium.

"You are correct on both counts. How nice that you bothered to research us." Nemoto said coldly, "You Heroes never leave well enough alone, do you? A few months longer and we'd have been ready to complete Master Chisaki's dream, but you Heroes just had to interfere! Thanks to Endeavor, his son and that girl, we lost Eri and Master Chisaki!"

Aizawa scowled and the Police Officers pointed their guns at the duo of villains. One stepped forward; "Yu Hojo, Shin Nemoto, you are both under arrest for Being Members of an Illegal Group, Organised Crime, Accessory to Child Abuse, Accessory to Illegal Quirk Experimentation, Accessory to Kidnapping and attempted Murder of a Pro-Hero! Drop your weapons, deactivate your quirks and get on the ground! Comply or we will use force."

The Villains looked unimpressed. Without warning, Hojo completely covered himself in crystals and charged at the Police, walking through the hail of bullets like it was nothing. His crystals were tough enough to take the impacts, causing bullets to ricochet around the room, forcing the Police to stop their shooting in case anyone on their side was killed. During that moment of distraction, Nemoto drew a handgun and pointed it at Ingenium, but the Turbo Hero effortlessly outspeed the man by using his new Plus Ultra Mode to burst to Sixth Gear (though he cringed at the pain it caused) and immediately drop-kicked the masked villain into the ground, knocking him unconscious. Hojo sneered, knowing Nemoto had no combat quirk and had only joined him to try his mind games, which were ineffective against groups.

With the Police and both Heroes focused solely on him, Hojo knew he'd be quickly beaten; Eraserhead would erase his quirk, then either Ingenium would knock him out, or the Police would gun him down. Still, the Villain had an ace in the hole… he hadn't hidden the Old Boss's room behind crates of Trigger for nothing of course. Before anyone could stop him, he feigned a charge at the police, only to steer himself into the crates and smash them to pieces. Though most of the syringes of Trigger were destroyed, a fair few found themselves stuck in Hojo's skin, pumping the drug into his veins.

With a roar of tremendous pain, the Trigger overdose began to warp and twist the Villain's body as Law Enforcement watched in horror, unable to get close due to the crystals that were shooting out of Hojo's body. Aizawa kept his eyes locked on the Villain, but he already knew that he'd acted too late. Trigger boosted a person's quirk, but when overdosed, it could twist people into monsters by forcing their quirk to be boosted beyond the body's limits, so the quirk (aided by the drug) mutated the body to compensate. Hojo was turned in a 7ft tall gorilla-like creature with massively oversized arms and tiny, misshapen legs. His body was muscular and his head seemed to have been absorbed into his torso, as his face was barely visible infused to his collarbone. Much of his back and arms were coated in spiky blue and pink crystals (the pink ones gaining their hue as blood was infused into them by the traumatic mutation) and the parts that weren't crystal were covered in a thick, clear coloured fur.

"Everyone, keep your distance! My Erasure can stop him creating more crystals, but this new form is a mutation, so my quirk can't erase it!" Aizawa yelled.

The Police paled and backed away slowly as the rabid monster focused on the shouting Aizawa. Their guns would be little use here, since even the fleshy parts of Hojo's body had become so thick, a bullet would do little more than flesh damage.

"Eraser, what do we do?" Ingenium asked urgently, "Big guys like this aren't my speciality. I doubt even this Plus Ultra power could bust through that thing's hide!"

"I'm not sure. My capture weapon might be able to tie him up, but we might have to wait for the Trigger to wear off." Eraser said, trying to come up with a plan. The room was bare with no pillars or light fixtures he could swing from and there was nothing to use that could bust through the crystal hide of the Villain. Waiting for the Trigger to wear off would be dangerous and take them out of the operation for a while, as when Gammon had been overdosed with Trigger (a smaller dose than Hojo had taken) he had taken quite a while to return to normal.

Before a plan could be made, the Bestial Hojo roared and charged at the Police, firing projectile crystals from his chest as he moved. Aizawa swung his scarves, grabbing a couple of the projectiles and using them to deflect the rest, but Hojo responded by grabbing the scarves and yanking, swinging Aizawa around and then tossing him into the wall, where he landed hard. The impact dazed the Eraser Hero, and he slid slowly down the wall, not noticing where he had landed… right in the wreckage of the Trigger Crates.

Hojo, still focused on Aizawa, moved like an Ape and began pulling himself towards the Hero, using his now oversized arms to walk instead of his legs. Ingenium, still using Plus Ultra Mode, burst forward and delivered a spinning kick, white flames coming from the exhausts on his elbows, which struck Hojo's unarmoured chest with great force, but the beast did little more than groan and toss Ingenium aside like an old toy. Right as Hojo was about to turn his attention to the Turbo Hero, Aizawa suddenly surged to his feet and slammed his palm into what could still be seen of Hojo's face, where to the surprise of everyone, a white handprint seared itself into the flesh. The heat from the mark caused Hojo to shriek and stagger away, unable to counter attack due to the crystals on his body beginning to disappear. With Hojo momentarily stunned, Ingenium and the Police had a moment to look at Aizawa, and were shocked by what they saw.

Aizawa's hair was standing up, like it often did when he used his quirk, but the colour had changed, as his black locks had become pure white. His eyes were also glowing blue instead of red, and his usual lithe and slender form had been replaced by a slender, but muscular shape that filled his baggy clothes much better. The skin on the palms of his hands were glowing white hot and steaming heavily. The cause became obvious when Ingenium spotted a single syringe of Trigger sticking out of Aizawa's thigh.

"W-Whoa! What happened to you, Eraser?" Ingenium asked, shocked by how Trigger had affected him.

"I don't know..." Aizawa replied through gritted teeth. His whole body felt tight and stretched, yet he was full of boundless energy, like he was a coiled spring. Every movement hurt, yet he couldn't help but want to move, and while his palms didn't hurt, they were uncomfortably hot and his eyes felt like they were melting. He was pouring sweat to the point his clothes were sodden. "This is something different… I think the Trigger I got injected with has somehow interfered with my Plus Ultra Mode and the Open Link with Midoriya. That would explain this heat, and why it doesn't actually hurt."

Ingenium, having recently experienced the Link with Izuka himself, nodded in understanding. Technically speaking, the only difference between Izuka's Link Evolution and the effect of Trigger was that hers was permanent and Trigger was temporary, but it made sense that the two effected one another. "Ever since you burned that handprint into Hojo, he's been having trouble with his quirk." he pointed out.

Eraserhead looked to where Hojo was whimpering and groaning, his crystals slowly disintegrating and turning black like charcoal. "I think my Erasure is somehow being channelled by this heat..." Aizawa muttered, looking at his hands, "It normally nullifies their Quirk Factor so long as I'm looking at them. With Plus Ultra Mode, it nullified the Quirk Factor for a short time, so I didn't need to look at them for more than an instant… but with Trigger too, it seems anyone I burn with this heat has their Quirk Factor sealed. It also seems to destroy everything the quirk has already made, which is why those older crystals are breaking down. I think he'll be Quirkless until the burn heals; it's not actually that serious."

Sure enough, the hand shaped burn on Hojo's face was little more than red, inflamed skin. It wasn't blistering or weeping, so the burn would likely heal within a day or two with standard treatment. Of course, even with his Quirk now sealed, Hojo was still in his mutated state and would remain in such a state until the Trigger wore off, but thankfully, he was unwilling to attack, appearing to be completely terrified by Aizawa.

Before the Police could restrain the mutated Villain, the wall behind him suddenly melted, revealing Endeavor. The Flame Hero was alone, having raced ahead of the Police, and was dragging two tied up Villains behind him; Toya Setsuno and Soramitsu Tabe, the last two members of the Expendables.

"Huh? Damn it, I ran into another finished fight!" Endeavor complained as he took note of what was going on.

Ingenium chuckled a bit, "You're a little late, Endeavor. We could have used you a few minutes ago. On the bright side, we took out two of the Expendables in your absence."

Endeavor frowned, "That makes all of them then. I took out these two a few minutes ago; it wasn't very tough, their quirks involving stealing things and eating anything, but you can't steal or eat fire, so they went down easy. I also ran into the aftermath of All-Might's fight with a couple; the Barrier one and the Punching one." he explained, not remembering the names of the enemy, only their quirks as listed in the reports they'd read on the way to the base.

"With these two beaten too, and the other two killed by the Hero Killer, it looks like the Expendables are done." Aizawa said, relieved that most of the serious enemies went down with ease. He could only imagine how much harder this would have been without the powers of Endeavor and All-Might.

Before Endeavor or anyone else could speak further, Aizawa suddenly collapsed to his knees, retching and vomiting blood. His body began releasing large amounts of steam as his enlarged muscles returned to normal, similar to when All-Might left his Hero Form. The Hero's hair and eyes returned to their normal colour, and his hands lost their previous heat, but when Aizawa had fully come down from his temporary boost, he was on the verge of losing consciousness and had been reduced to an almost emaciated state as his body had consumed it's fat reserves. His entire body ached horribly and it was only the man's incredibly willpower that stopped him from whimpering.

"Damn! He must have burned through the Trigger already!" Tensei cried, rushing to help the Police Medics in stabilising the man.

At Endeavor's confused look, Tensei explained how Aizawa had accidentally been injected with the stuff while the Flame Hero securely tied up the Mutated Hojo and the other three Expendables. During the explanation, Endeavor pensively watched as Aizawa was seen to by the medics, wondering how this experience would have effected Izuka, who was linked with Aizawa at the time.

 **[WITH IZUKA AND STAIN]**

Though she didn't know it, Izuka had definitely been effected by what had happened with Aizawa. She and Stain had learned that the Heroes had arrived and were invading the base, though they'd yet to run into them or the Police, which Stain was thankful for. They had been exploring the base for almost half an hour now, searching for Izuka's costume and the Pendant Tracker. A few minutes earlier, Izuka had developed a minor headache, which was the result of Aizawa's Trigger Exposure (though Izuka didn't know that) and the moment the Trigger had worn off, Izuka was suddenly overtaken by a massive wave of pain that made the poor girl shriek loudly, startling Stain and forcing him to drag the girl to the closest room where they could hide until she calmed down. It took almost a minute, but the pain finally subsided and Izuka was able to think straight again, noticing the Link with Aizawa had been severed and couldn't be reopened, signalling the man was unconscious.

"What the hell was that about!?" Stain demanded, mildly concerned but mostly just angry at the surprise.

"I-I don't know for certain." Izuka panted, "I think something happened to Aizawa-sensei! I've never had that reaction before! Even having my Links rejected never hurt that badly! Something knocked Sensei out, but I don't know why it hurt that much!"

Stain raised an eyebrow; "I barely understand your Link powers. Why does the Link hurt you if it fails?"

"Normally, it doesn't! Normally, both myself and the people I link with can sever the link and it's painless. If I try to open a link and the other person refuses, it sort of rebounds and it hurts. The Link will break if either side falls unconscious or dies. It has NEVER hurt that much before, and never when the link breaks after forming." Izuka explained urgently. She briefly (and fearfully) wondered if this was what happened when someone she linked with dies during a link (since it had never happened, she had no frame of reference) but she quickly dismissed that theory as Izuka could still feel Aizawa's link, and she wouldn't be able to if he'd died.

"I can't imagine what caused it… maybe it was some kind of Psychic Attack? Do any of the Precepts have that kind of power?" Izuka asked.

Stain shrugged; "I was only introduced to the Expendables and Mimic. I didn't get the impression that they had those kinds of powers, but I can't be certain. It's also possible for it to have been some random Yakuza thug." he said dismissively, taking stock of the room they were currently in. He had pulled them both in without thought, and was now properly looking around.

The Room was some kind of laboratory and was filled with a combination of medical equipment and machinery with a purpose Stain could only guess at. A single chair, similar to a dentist's chair was in the centre of the room and it was equipped with arm and leg restraints, which to Stain's disgust, had been positioned for a child. Blood was splattered around the room and three large glass tubes, each big enough for a full-sized person were arranged behind the chair and each was partially filled with blood. With the blood and scalpels all over the place, it looked more like a torture chamber than a Lab. Izuka finally recovered enough to take notice and she quickly paled and began shaking at the sight of the lab.

"This is the place… this is where they hurt Eri..." Izuka said, eyes narrowed dangerously. Her fists were clenched so tight, her knuckles were cracking and an uncomfortable heat was beginning to emanate from her.

Stain suddenly spun on his heel as two men entered the room, slamming shut the large steel door behind them. It was Chronostasis and another person, a tiny creature dressed in some sort of doll costume with a stitched on Plague Mask.

"Ah, I had hoped you'd arrive here. Perfect; this is where we complete our experiments. It will serve as your new permanent home, Izuka Midoriya, at least until Overhaul returns." Chronostasis said, eerily calm. "I had originally planned to simply destroy your quirk and ransom you, but your power… if we can harness it, we can produce an even more potent product. Combining your Evolution with Eri's Rewind would allow us to create a drug capable of not only erasing Quirks, but also of permanently erasing any aspect of humanity we wish. With you both in our hands, Master Kai will finally have his dream fulfilled. We will create a perfect, Disease-free society, free of Heroes and Villains. Be thankful, Midoriya, from your blood and Eri's blood, we will create Utopia."

Stain scoffed, "What nonsense."

Mimic growled, "Watch your mouth, Punk! We haven't forgotten how you murdered several of our people!" The voice of the creature was surprisingly deep for his stature, but Izuka barely noticed, focusing fully on Chronostasis, who in turn was focused on Stain.

"It is not too late, Stain. Surrender and help us recapture Midoriya, as well as recapturing Eri, and we will forgive the deaths of our comrades. You said yourself, you wanted to create a society devoid of Fake Heroes." Chronostasis offered.

Stain spat on the floor at Chrono's feet; "Don't bother with your honeyed words. I want to erase Fake Heroes, so only the True Heroes remain; you simply want to wipe out Quirks and all Heroes in general! Your Utopia would be nothing but the Precepts' personal Empire, with Overhaul as the Emperor. I won't sacrifice the lives of innocents!"

"A pity. What of you, Midoriya? Surely as a Hero, you desire peace above all else? Do you not agree that our Utopia would be better than the current, chaotic world rife with Villains and Strife?" Chronostasis looked to the girl, who was glaring back with cold eyes.

Izuka ignored the question entirely, instead intensifying the cold fury in her eyes; "How many times did you hurt Eri? How many times did you cut her up and remake her for your little Utopia?"

Chronostasis, surprised by the hateful tone, replied; "Hundreds. It doesn't matter; it was necessary to find the cure for our diseased society."

Izuka stood up straight and faced Chronostasis, her thin frame radiating heat as small white flames flickered around her head; "As a Hero, I'm going to do the right thing. I will defeat you, deliver you into Police Custody and allow you to be tried and punished properly through the legal system. That is my responsibility as a Hero..."

Her body erupted with flame, burning away her borrowed clothes and replacing them with the white flame dress she had conjured during the USJ attack. Stain blinked in surprise and both Chronostasis and Mimic were forced to step back; "...But as a Big Sister, who has recently adopted Eri, I won't forgive you for hurting her!"

Taking a combat stance, Izuka glared at the duo of Villains; "Brace yourselves, I'm going to make this hurt!"


	14. The Eight Precepts of Death Part 3

**The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 14: The Eight Precepts of Death Part 3**

Four people stood together in the blood-stained laboratory, glaring at each other with hateful eyes, each in a combat stance or wielding a weapon. On the one side was the Hero Killer Stain, and his temporary ally, Izuka Midoriya, and on the other side was the two remaining leaders of the Eight Precepts; Chronostasis and Mimic. Izuka was wearing a dress of burning white flames, the ground beneath her feet melting at the intensity of the heat she was releasing, while Stain was beside her, drawing his weapons and allowing them to get close enough to the fire to be heated by them, turning the steel red hot. Mimic was shaking in rage, unable to believe the girl before him was speaking so disrespectfully to them, in fact, he was so furious, he burst out of his costume to reveal his true form.

Joi Irinaka, Villain Name: Mimic, was not in fact a tiny man like his costume suggested, but a tall, well build man with pointed features and a pronounced chin. His hair was light and very spiky, almost like Katsuki's if the boy decided to model himself on a porcupine. He wore a plain white shirt, pinstriped pants and suspenders and designer black shoes, making him the picture of a Yakuza Leader. His usual, tiny form was the result of his quirk: Mimicry, which allowed him to enter objects and fully control them like they were his own body, however this was usually limited to objects roughly no bigger than a refrigerator… at least until he pulled out a syringe.

"You little brat! You think we'll let you get away with threatening us!? I'll pound you to mulch and when you revive, I'll do it again and again until you learn to obey us! When we get Eri back, I'll show her your broken body and she won't dare run away again!" Mimic screamed, stabbing the syringe of Trigger into his leg while Chronostasis sighed and the Hero Intern and Hero Killer prepared to defend themselves.

As it wasn't an overdose like it was with Gammon, the change wasn't a massively physical one, with only a few pronounced veins on Mimic's forehead that could easily have just appeared because of his rage. Unfortunately for the Villain, Izuka was taking no chances and his threats had just angered her more, something he learned very quickly as a searing hot fist burnt itself into Mimic's torso and sent him flying backward, screaming and with a smoking, blistering burn on his chest. Chronostasis was shocked, but he quickly recovered and ducked just as a scorching hot blade sliced through the air where his neck had just been. Stain was determined to kill him, and Chrono doubted that Seraphim would be willing to stop him at the moment. Overhaul's assistant was forced to lunge forward and draw both his gun and a knife to fend off Stain, who clearly outmatched him in ability, and since Chrono had to be still to use his quirk, he couldn't use it without giving Stain the chance to kill him. Fortunately for him, his partner was about to give him a chance...

"L-Little Bitch!" Mimic cursed, his shaking hands pressed to his burn. Izuka narrowed her eyes and waved her hand, firing numerous small fire darts at him, but before they hit, the man sunk into the wall. With Trigger in his system, Mimic could take control of much larger places… particularly large buildings and tunnel networks like the Eight Precepts Base.

The entire base began to shake, as if struck by a massive earthquake. Chronostasis and Stain were forced to stop their short exchange as the room began warping like it was made of clay, and Izuka was forced to grab Stain and take flight just to so she could tell which was was up. Everyone in the base was effected, with many being sucked into the moving ground and trapped, both Police, Hero and Yakuza alike. The Police in the camp outside were forced to evacuate the property as it began to shake and rumble, then rise out of the ground. Tenya, Shoto and Koda stared up in shock and horror as the tunnels and stone of the Eight Precepts Base rose out of the ground and twisted themselves together into a giant, rudimentary human Golem; a Colossal Stone Construct completely in the control of Mimic. Everyone still inside the thing was trapped there, either bound by the stone that Mimic was possessing or knocked senseless by the sudden shifting. Much of Jyaku Ward was beginning to crumble and collapse as the ground was taken out from under the buildings to form Mimic's giant puppet, causing widespread devastation across the district.

"What the hell is going on!?" Shoto yelled as the Skyscraper sized being stepped over the Police and walked a few steps, crushing a few cars and a single building, though thankfully no people.

At that moment, the Colossus staggered a moment and two people shot out of it; one being All-Might, who punched his way out from the thing's abdomen, and the other being Endeavor, who melted his way out from one of its arms. All-Might and Endeavor quickly moved to ensure the Police and the Interns were okay, before turning their attention to the Colossus.

"I don't know how, but the Precepts have turned their entire base into that thing! Everyone but us was trapped inside." All-Might explained, "I tried punching my way forward, but every time I tried, the stone would shift and one of the trapped people would be in my way! It was all I could do to get outside!"

"It was the same for me. Drake, Ingenium and Eraser are all trapped. Last I saw, Miruko was free and hopping upward, but she might be caught by now too." Endeavor growled.

Suddenly, the Colossus began to speak, or rather, it's entire body began emitting a voice as if it was a giant speaker; "WE ARE THE EIGHT PRECEPTS OF DEATH! YOU TOOK OUR BOSS AND ONE OF OUR ASSETS; I'M GOING TO TAKE THEM BACK!" Mimic's voice echoed, before the Colossus began moving towards U.A. The school was a fair distance away, though for a being of that size, it would be a short hike at best, which would cause unimaginable destruction to everything in its path.

All-Might clenched his fists and grit his teeth furiously; even as big as it was, his power would be more than enough to destroy the Colossus, but Mimic had been clever; with all the Police and Heroes trapped inside the massive thing, All-Might couldn't risk destroying it, or he might kill some of the hostages, and even if he willingly sacrificed them (something he'd never do) he would still likely cause immense damage to the surrounding area with his punch, either from the force itself or the rubble of the Colossus.

Endeavor spat on the ground; "Clever little shit. He's got us by the balls. If we do nothing, he'll rampage and destroy half the city, and if we fight him, it'll kill the hostages."

Koda squeaked at the idea of that, so he did the only thing he could think of. He turned to Gorilla, the Noumu he still controlled, and gave it an order; "S-Slow that thing down! Grab it and try to hold it or something." he ordered desperately.

It was obvious that the hulking brute was useless against the Colossus (it was barely the size of the thing's pinky toe… if the Colossus had toes that is) and did little more than grab a hold of the thing's leg and dug its heels in, pulling with all its might to try and slow the Stone Behemoth. It wasn't effective, but it gave All-Might an idea.

"Blue Zephyr, are you still linked to Seraphim?" he asked.

Tenya nodded; "Yes sir."

"Contact her. I have a plan, but I need her help." All-Might declared.

Tenya obediently focused on the link so he could speak telepathically with Izuka. The girl in question was now in what remained of the laboratory, which had become the twisted heart of the Colossus. Once the ground stopped shifting, she had tentatively landed, allowing Stain to let go of her hand and land too. Chronostasis was on the ground, apparently knocked out by whatever Mimic had done.

" _Izuka!"_ Tenya's voice echoed in her head.

Izuka blinked, _"Tenya? What is it? What happened out there?"_

" _I don't know how, but somehow the entire enemy base has become some sort of massive stone statue. It's destroying everything and making it's way to U.A!"_ Tenya explained. Izuka's blood ran cold; U.A… there was no mistaking it; Mimic was going for Eri! She briefly wondered why but quickly guessed that Mimic simply assumed Eri would be there, since it was the safest place, and he couldn't go for Overhaul, since very few people knew exactly where Tartarus Prison was.

" _Damn it! Tenya, listen; I think this is the power of Mimic. He took some Trigger and I think his quirk allowed him to possess the whole base!"_ Izuka said urgently. The Precepts were Trigger Dealers, so there was likely tons of the stuff in the base, a base that Mimic now had full control of.

Tenya compounded the bad news, _"Everyone inside the base has been taken hostage. Only Endeavor and All-Might escaped, but they can't destroy the statue without killing the hostages."_

Izuka growled; if she didn't hate cursing so much, she'd probably be swearing enough to make Katsuki blush. Calming herself and once again snapping her emotions into her mental fortress, Izuka responded; _"Ask All-Might what he wants me to do."_

Tenya relayed the message and All-Might replied; "There's no way that this Mimic character will let you escape. He'll block your way with the hostages. Izuka, you need to find and either destroy all the Trigger, so he can't keep up his new power, or defeat the main body. Our Intel states that Mimic's real body still exists within the things he controls. If you can get to it and defeat it, the Colossus will collapse."

Tenya, beginning to feel like an awkward telephone, passed the orders along with Izuka, who responded with a simple _"Got it!"_ and got to work.

With All-Might fully confident that Izuka would be able to destroy the Trigger or defeat Mimic, he turned to Endeavor. "While Izuka works, we need to get to work on slowing or stopping this thing! We need to buy her time!"

Endeavor nodded, then looked to the south. Just a short distance south was Dagobah Municipal Beach. "Do you think this thing is water proof?"

Shoto looked at the Colossus and cracked his knuckles; "If it isn't, I'll make it water proof. What's the plan."

"If we can get that thing to the ocean, we can use your ice to fight it more effectively, plus we can slow it down and since it's in the sea, when it's destroyed or defeated, it won't cause any real danger or collateral damage." Endeavor explained.

"How do we do that?" one of the Police Officers asked.

Endeavor smirked and looked at All-Might; "What do you say, Number One Hero? Think you can toss that thing?"

All-Might cracked his knuckles; "You've got it!" he yelled, before running at the Colossus and position himself right beneath the thing. Shoto, seeing the Hero's intention, used Plus Ultra Mode to cover the Colossus in a layer of frost, nearly knocking himself out in the process; this would ensure that any gaps that water could flood into would be blocked by ice. Then it was All-Might's turn; focusing all his power, the Number One Hero struck upward with a palm strike. The strike didn't hit anything, but the immense air pressure of the attack was enough to crack the ground beneath All-Might as well as send the Colossus several miles into the sky. At top speed, All-Might leapt into the air, hopping along the Colossus body until the Hero was able to jump into the air at just the right angle that the Colossus was directly between All-Might and the ocean, with no tall buildings in the way. With another incredible Palm Strike, All-Might sent the Colossus careening into the water about a quarter mile away from the shore with a mighty cry of "HAWAII SMASH!"

As the Colossus was so far out to sea and wasn't actually very fast, the Heroes were able to quickly make their way to Dagobah beach, where they began doing all they could to slow the Colossus down while they waited for Izuka to take out Mimic. Shoto knocked himself unconscious by overusing his Plus Ultra Mode to freeze a huge section of the coast, making it incredibly hard for Mimic's monster to move and allowing the Heroes to walk on the ice to reach it. Tenya was a one man rescue party, as every time the Colossus swung at someone other than All-Might, he'd race to the would-be victim and save them before they could become a blood splatter on the ice. Koda helped in the only way he could; using birds to blind and annoy the Colossus, his controlled Noumu to help intercept attacks and the creatures of the sea to attack and chip away at the Colossus' ankles. Endeavor, much to his annoyance, was limited in what he could do without melting the ice or endangering the hostages, so he swallowed his pride and flew around, using his flames as a jet, to bother and distract the stone behemoth. All-Might alone was able to do much against the creature, as his amazing strength allowed him to grab the thing's fists and hold it in place. Now, they just had to wait; either the Trigger would run out, Mimic would be beaten, or the Heroes would be doomed.

 **[INSIDE THE HEART OF THE COLOSSUS]**

Izuka was racking her brain, trying to figure out how to escape the laboratory turned twisted heart. Most of the walls contained a hostage that would be hurt if she busted through them, and the places a Hostage wasn't blocking were too thick for her to smash or melt through at her level of power. "How do we get out of here and find Mimic?" she muttered to herself.

"If these Hostages were all Yakuza, I could just slice them up, but that bastard has used the Police." Stain piped up, finishing his own examination of their predicament. "We could always sacrifice one anyway. It would be a necessary sacrifice."

The Police that were trapped in the wall all had their mouths covered by the stone that bound them, but their panicked eyes and cold sweat showed they clearly didn't like Stain's plan. Izuka growled, "We are not killing anyone! Just give me a moment to think." she said, going over every person she'd linked with. None of her classmates or anyone she'd linked with in the past had a quirk that could destroy stone without harming those trapped inside; Aoyama, Mina, Eijiro, Sato, Kyoka, Tokoyami, Shoto, Kacchan and Momo could all do it if they were willing to risk the lives of the hostages, but as Izuka wasn't, that was a moot point.

Momo was her most likely option, so she opened the Link; "Link Up: Creati!" she called.

The Link opened immediately and Momo's voice entered Izuka's mind. _"Izuka? Is something wrong?"_

" _Momo! It's a long story, but can you think of anything that could destroy stone and not a person? It needs to be something I can use quickly and without much finesse; time isn't on our side."_ Izuka said urgently.

Momo's link tensed as the girl realised the seriousness of what was happening. _"Oh! Let me think… I can think of one thing; Hatsume's Super Solvent! I'll spare you the details for now, but Mei Hatsume developed it to destroy non-living materials. It's supposedly an environmentally friendly alternative to demolition. She gave me the formula! Be careful with this stuff; it'll spare flesh, hair and plants, but it'll decay everything else like Shigaraki's quirk."_

Momo relayed the formula quickly, which Izuka was thankfully able to grasp, if only barely. Izuka was pretty impressed with Mei Hatsume; the girl had been working on a whole bunch of amazing Hero Items and was already becoming famous (or infamous) amongst the Support Community for some of her gear, especially in the aftermath of the Sports Festival.

" _Great! Thank you Momo! I'll need to keep the link open to make this stuff, but I'll be silent for now! I'll fill you in when we get back to the Dorms"_ Izuka promised before allowing the Link to go quiet.

She turned to Stain; "Alright, we have a way out, but I'm going to need to trust you." she said seriously.

Stain merely raised an eyebrow, so Izuka explained; "The three quirks in my body are all very demanding on my body and energy. I need to eat huge amounts of food to stay at 100% percent, and because of that, I burn through fat really fast. If I overuse my quirks, I could essentially starve myself to death in a single day, Evolution be damned."

"Why tell me this? It isn't exactly a weakness that can be exploited and I doubt it'll have much baring here." Stain pointed out.

"The reason is that the person I'm linked with can use their quirk to create objects from their body fat. My linked version of that quirk will use a lot more than theirs would, plus it's now late evening and I haven't eaten since early this morning! Put simply, I'm going to be next to useless soon, so I'll need to trust you. Can I do that?" Izuka said seriously. She knew she was being foolish, even entertaining the idea of trusting these Villains, but if the choice was between trusting Stain and risking being captured by the Precepts again, well, she'd to trust the guy that had already saved her from being raped.

Stain chuckled. He may have a major idealogical difference with this girl, but he had to admit that he liked her spirit. She also seemed to understand the idea of sacrificing oneself for the betterment of society as a whole. That was enough for Stain, at least for now. "You have my oath that until the Precepts are dead or arrested, I will do nothing to harm you or impede you. That good enough?"

Izuka nodded, then quickly shook Stain's hand. The man gasped as he felt her linking with him, strengthening his quirk and flooding his body with a feeling of completeness. The Girl snatched her hand away soon after, talking to Stain in his head; _"I've linked with you so we can speak this way. Now we can plan without giving anything away. For one thing, that Chrono guy is faking being knocked out."_

Stain smirked, _"I know. His breathing is too irregular for him to be really unconscious, and I was watching him like a hawk during the shaking earlier. He didn't get hit, he's just faking so he can get the drop on us."_

" _Keep an eye on him. We don't know his quirk or if he has some Trigger on him."_ Izuka ordered. The Hero Killer found it amusing to be ordered around by a fifteen year old girl, but he didn't bother arguing; he remembered enough of his early Hero Training to see the sense in her orders.

Izuka turned her attention back to the wall and began using Momo's quirk to pump our Hatsume's Super Solvent. The stuff was thick and green, and stank strongly of a mixture of industrial strength glue and motor oil, and while it was harmless, it did make Izuka feel vaguely sick to have the stuff emerging from her bare hands. She smeared it around one of the trapped Police Officers and the stone seemed to turn to mush, like paper being sprayed with water. It slopped to the floor like sludge, along with a portion of the Officer's uniform. The officer panted in relief at his freedom and profusely thanked Izuka as she produced a paint can and a paintbrush with Momo's quirk (Momo had informed Izuka that anything made of tin would be able to resist the Solvent, so the can and brush handle were both made of the stuff and a small clipping of her own hair for the brush bristles), filling the former with the Solvent. "Use this to free everyone you can. It won't harm people." she said, before creating some more for herself and making her way out.

The once straight corridors had become a twisted maze with even less sense than the original layout, and to make matters worse, neither Izuka nor Stain had a clue as to where Mimic or the Trigger supply would be, though they reasoned they would be together. Stain was also worried to see that Izuka wasn't kidding about her weakness; the girl was noticeably thinner and her lithe, muscular limbs were much frailer looking. She had previously looked like a slender, but healthy young woman, but now she appeared malnourished and the white flame dress was a little smaller as Izuka struggled to maintain her current level of power. Thankfully, they didn't have to hunt Mimic Down… the Gangster brought them to him.

The stone floor beneath the duo's feet opened up, causing them both to fall downward into a seemingly bottomless pit. They were dropped into a massive room (Izuka had to use her wings to ensure they landed safely) and were surprised to find no hostages on the walls. The room appeared to be numerous rooms mashed together into a huge, makeshift arena and while there were no hostages, most of the low-level Yakuza had been dumped into the room too. By the look of things, if that Lab had become the Colossus' heart, then this place was the stomach.

The hole they'd fallen through closed above them and a stone replica of Mimic's real face emerged from the ceiling. "I HAVE YOU BOTH NOW! EIGHT PRECEPTS OF DEATH; KILL THESE TWO FOOLS! HERE'S SOME TREATS TO HELP!" Mimic declared with a vicious grin as dozens of stone hands emerged from the floor, each one injecting a Gangster with Trigger. Izuka and Stain watched in horror as the small army of Yakuza began warping and changing before their eyes, most of them having their Emitter and Transformation Quirks active, while the Mutation types were transformed fully into bizarre monsters.

Trigger effected each person differently; Emitter Types were generally unchanged in appearance, but their quirks were hundreds of times stronger. Transformation Types were similar, though their transformations were much more prominent and inhuman. Lastly, Mutation Types had their quirks change to be almost unrecognisable; for example, a Yakuza with eight eyes and limbs due to a Spider Mutation Quirk found himself warped into a large, almost humanoid Tarantula complete with mandibles and a spider's abdomen. Izuka gulped, "W-Well at least they have less Trigger now..." she said, trying to get control of her emotions. Her weakened state meant it was harder for her to control her Mental Fortress, so her emotions slipped through a bit.

Stain scowled and drew his katana and one of his Tantos. The situation was bad; Izuka couldn't fight at 100% right now and both were outmatched by the sheer numbers of the Trigger Empowered Precepts. "Sorry Girl, but they'll be no getting out of this without killing most of these fools."

Izuka groaned; "I can still fight!" she yelled, though even her voice was sluggish now. "I'll just need to be smart with my remaining power."

With that, Izuka began focusing all of her flames (minus those that made up her dress) into a dense, pale blue aura of fire around her body. She then activated One for All at only 5%, just to help supplement her weakened body. "Angelic Aura: Reserve Mode." she announced, a mix of blue flame and green lightning crackling around her.

The Drugged up Yakuza came down from the high caused by the initial Trigger exposure and attacked, many of the Mutation Types leaping and dog-piling the duo. They were soon sent flying by an explosion of flame, scattering the crowd as Izuka and Stain leapt into battle. Stain sliced through the Mutation Types with ease, cutting off limbs and slicing throats until the floor was slick with blood, while Izuka used her link with Aizawa to prevent the Emitter and Transformation Types from activating their boosted quirks as she danced around them, taking them out with strong kicks to the head and the odd fireball. Izuka's usual style was fairly liberal in its use of flame, creating and blasting it at will, but as Izuka was weakened, she manipulated each fire attack carefully, so the flames would do their damage, then be pulled back into Izuka's aura.

As the fight went on, more and more Yakuza fell, most only able to inflict minor wounds on Izuka or Stain before falling. To the shock of Stain and the secretly observing Mimic, as the fight went on, Izuka actually grew stronger. The reason for this was a genius strategy that Izuka and Katsuki had come up with together, and was only to be used in emergencies; when Izuka was pushed to using her flames conservatively, she would attack and allow her flames to linger on the enemy just long enough to set them (or their clothes) on fire. The fire would then engulf them and before they could be killed or permanently wounded, Izuka would suck up the flames and use it to restore her rapidly decreasing Stamina. The enemy would be scorched and Izuka would get more flames to play with and recharge herself; it was a win-win situation, though Izuka hated it since she felt it was cruel. Still, in a life or death battle, Izuka couldn't allow herself to give up a valuable strategy. Plus, with Stain dismembering so many Yakuza, Izuka had a lot of fuel for her flames as she reluctantly burned the arms and legs Stain chopped off and absorbed the flames.

The Precepts were reduced from almost a Hundred Trigger-enhanced Gangsters to a pile of unconscious and dead crooks and it was only Izuka using her healing fire to consume the spilled blood that stopped them all slipping and sliding on the crimson-stained floor. Izuka looked at the dead with pity as Stain wiped his blade clean on someone's tie. "Well, that was surprisingly easy. I'd have figured that Trigger was more potent than that; most were barely tougher than normal." Stain commented.

The Hero Girl blinked; Stain had a point, the Precepts should have been much stronger with the Trigger in them; the Overdosed Gammon had been much tougher. Izuka had a hunch though, and as she examined one of the unconscious gangsters, her hunch was confirmed. "Stain, take a look at this." she called. The Killer meandered over to her and looked at what she was doing. Izuka had opened the mouth of one of the crooks and was pulling his tongue taut. "While I trained in Medicine with Recovery Girl, she taught me a bit about Trigger. It has three effects; the first being the boost to the user's quirk. It also weakens their sense of reason, which I think is part of why these guys were so dumb when fighting us, but the third effect is that their tongues turn black."

Stain nodded along and examined the tongue of the Gangster; it was darker than normal, but not black. Izuka continued; "I think the stuff used here was either watered down or a lower dose."

"That would explain why they weren't much stronger, though the Mutations were still a pain." Stain muttered.

"YOU'RE RIGHT!" Mimic's voice echoed, his face once again appearing from the stone ceiling, "I GAVE 'EM WATERED DOWN TRIGGER, SO I COULD USE THE MAJORITY OF THE SUPPLY! DAMN IDIOTS COULDN'T FINISH YOU OFF THOUGH. CHRONO, YOU TAKE 'EM OUT!"

Without warning, the ceiling opened up and Chronostasis, or at least some form of him, slammed down into the middle of the room. Mimic had clearly loaded him up with an Overdose of Trigger before dropping him into the room as the man was much larger, appearing to be slightly larger and buffer than Hero Mode All-Might as opposed to the skinny man he'd been before. His cloak and Precept Mask were torn and the trousers he wore underneath had barely been able to stay in one piece, though they were now shorts instead of full trousers thanks to the size difference of the wearer. Chronostasis hair, including eyebrows and body hair, was all shaped and arranged into arrows though as she'd never seen him without a mask, Izuka didn't know if this was natural or because of Trigger.

"MASTER KAI!" the man roared, the drug overdose hindering his mind.

Izuka and Stain entered combat stances, only for the man to stop moving. Suddenly, the hair on the man's forearms stretched out like an arrow and managed to nick Izuka just enough to draw blood. Izuka scowled, only to discover that her every move was now a bit slower. It was like her body was now moving a second slower than her mind, causing a slowdown or lag. The Girl scowled; the man's name was Chronostasis, so his quirk likely involved time in some way. Stain was attacked too, though when the hair arrow struck at him, Stain parried it with his sword. When moving, the hair arrows appeared to be very tough, to the point that Stain couldn't cut them. He parried a few more slashes, including those aimed at Izuka and after a second of the initial strike, Izuka was able to move normally again.

"Stain! His quirk is similar to yours. If he cuts you, you're slowed down like a time lag. It only lasts for a second though." Izuka yelled, carefully ducking beneath another arrow and blasting it with fire, only to find that it didn't have any effect. Stain growled and ran at Chronostasis, whose body hadn't move an inch since his attacks began, relying entirely on his hair arrows (though with the hindsight of the man's quirk, they now appeared more like Clock Needles). Without moving, Chrono's hair defended him, extending and wrapping around him to block Stain's sword and Izuka's fire. Izuka back flipped to evade a retaliatory strike, conjuring a massive swarm of fireballs as she went, then launched them all at Chrono with a cry of "OPHANIM SQUALL!"

As with her earlier attacks, her fireballs struck the clock needles and popped like balloons, leaving no sign of damage. Izuka was about to try a punch with One for All when she was suddenly stabbed through the forearm by one of the needles. She cried out in pain, only to find her body was now lagging a minute behind her brain, though unfortunately for her, pain signals were unaffected. The girl grimaced; Chronostasis had used her own attack as a cover to stab her and even though the blade had now retracted, it took more than a second for the slowdown to stop. Stain noticed this and jumped to the girl's defence, parrying clock needles that attacked from all directions, all while Chronostasis stayed locked in a seemingly impenetrable defence. The man was pushed to his limits as he desperately blocked and deflected attacks, his skill with a blade being the only thing that saved both of them from a grisly death. After a minute, Izuka snapped back to normal time and promptly cried out in pain from her earlier wound before healing it.

"That time my body was a minute behind my mind, and it took a minute for me to recover!" Izuka explained as she grabbed Stain and flew up, chased the entire time by the relentless needles. "I think the time of the lag is identical to the duration of the effect. Lag a minute and it lasts a minute."

"We need a way to take the bastard out." Stain yelled, knocking away a needle attempting to blind side them as they flew. "Our attacks do nothing to his hair needles and as soon as we get close, he blocks us with them. We need a ranged attack too fast for him to defend against!"

"He's already blocked my Ophanim Squall, which moved as fast as I could make them!" Izuka yelled back, swooping down to dodge a needle trying to cut her off. She'd tried to erase the man's quirk with Aizawa's Link, but with the needles attacking so frequently, she didn't have an opening to do it without turning herself and Stain into a human shishkebab; as soon as she looked directly at Chronostasis, she'd be attacked or have her vision obscured before she could activate the quirk. In addition, she couldn't use Momo's quirk to create a gun or anything like that as while the flames she absorbed could fuel her, they didn't replace the fat reserves needed for Creation. Her best bet would be to allow herself to be killed to regenerate those reserves and hope Stain could hold out for the three minutes on his own.

Stain seemed to come to the same conclusion; they weren't winning this without a real sacrifice, but it wouldn't be the girl's. Squirming enough to force Izuka to drop him, Stain fell to the ground and charged at Chronostasis in a kamikaze attack and for the first time in the battle, he was cut by the needles, or more accurately, he was crucified by them as they pierced through his hands and pinned him to the wall.

The Hero Killer grimaced in pain, but his thoughts were focused on the strange feeling in his chest. It had appeared when Izuka linked with him, and the Killer knew it was the power of the Link; his evolved quirk, but he had refused to use it. In battle, relying on an unknown force could only end in trouble, but now, Stain was out of options. He allowed that power out, entering his own Plus Ultra Mode.

The second his power activated, Chronostasis completely froze, including his hair needles. Stain looked at the man curiously, until he realised what had happened; Stain's blood felt different from before, almost like it was a few degrees hotter and that was the clue that lead him to his conclusion; Stain's quirk: Blood Curdle, would paralyse a person whose blood was ingested by Stain, but with Plus Ultra Mode, Stain could also paralyse others by touching them with his own blood. Blood Curdle: Plus Ultra turned his blood into a powerful paralysing agent that only needed skin contact to work.

Chronostasis' body was completely frozen, his hair needles stuck in the positions they'd been in when Stain's Plus Ultra Mode activated. Izuka sighed with relief and charged forward to attack, not knowing how long Stain's improved quirk would last (and since Stain was stuck in a time lag, he couldn't tell her). Chrono had been in the middle of preparing a defence when he was frozen, so while he was partially shielded by his needles, there were enough openings for her to hit him; all she had to do was take him down in one blow!

"Sorry Aizawa-sensei, I know I promised not to use this, but this is my best shot!" Izuka whispered to herself, before gathering all her remaining energy. "Plus Ultra Mode: Seraphic Light!"

The Light burst forth from within Izuka as her flames took on the concentrated, holy power of pure light and her two flaming wings split into six, each as white as snow to match her white flame dress. Izuka put her hands together and the palms turned to crystal as they had during her fight with Kacchan at the Sports Festival. Gathering all the light within her, Izuka shot it all out in a single golden ray, striking Chronostasis and bathing him fully in the light. Katsuki had told her, after their fight, that the light had hurt but not very much, instead seeming to "Harm his Spirit" instead of his body, draining him of energy. It was the manifestation of Izuka's greatest desire in battle; to be victorious without taking a life, to win and to save in one fell swoop.

"DIVINE RAY!" Izuka shouted.

After five full seconds of blinding light filling the room, the ray finally faded and Izuka landed, losing her Plus Ultra Mode as she knelt on the floor, exhausted. The last time she'd used it, she'd passed out, but this time Izuka was clinging to consciousness, having gotten a little more used to the power. A few hundred more uses and she might be able to use it without wanting to nap for the next month! Chronostasis had collapsed to the floor, all his hair needles now slack and weak as all his stamina had been drained away by the Divine Ray, leaving the man unconscious. With the defeat of Chrono, only Mimic remained of the Eight Precepts and Izuka was determined not to sleep until he too was beaten.

Looking to Stain, Izuka pulled the slack needles out of his hands and helped sit him down while they waited for the time lag to end, which would likely be in two minutes since he'd been stabbed by two of the minute needles. In the meantime, Izuka used fragments of the clothes of the unconscious Yakuza members as makeshift bandages for Stain's wounds, as she lacked the energy to use her quirk. She was only maintaining her modesty by essentially downgrading her fire dress to fire underwear, and as soon as Stain was bandaged up, Izuka took some simple pants and a dress shirt from one of the knocked out gangsters for herself to wear, sighing with relief as she was finally able to release her flames. Most of her links were closed now and all her quirks were gone or too weak to use. She'd only managed to keep a single link open, choosing Stain's since it would be useful for tactical planning if they got ambushed again.

"Ugh… That Plus Ultra Power really saved us." Stain groaned as the remnants of Chrono's quirk left him.

"Yeah… I'm completely drained though. I can barely muster a candle flame." Izuka replied, watching as Stain took his sword and cut a portion of Chrono's hair. Without the man actively controlling his hair, it looked like the needles were as soft as normal hair, so Stain took the opportunity to shave the unconscious man completely bald, only sparing his life as thanks to Izuka for providing the power that saved them.

"What should we do now? I'm useless now, so I can't heal you if you get hurt, and we still have Mimic to deal with." Izuka pointed out.

Stain hummed thoughtfully; "I'm guessing that the fight going on outside is keeping Mimic busy, or else he'd have noticed our victory by now. This gives us time. If I start some fires, will that be enough to get you back in the fight?"

Izuka shook her head; "No, my body is too fatigued. Even if I absorbed enough fire to fight again, I'd collapse the moment I exerted myself." she explained, remembering the feeling from her training against Blade Jester.

"Not to worry! I'll cover for you!" yelled a cheerful voice just as the ceiling broke open and Miruko dropped into the room, having kicked her way into the tunnel. "Hiya Seraphim, Hero Killer." Miruko greeted, chirping Izuka's name while growling Stain's.

Izuka, with all the energy she still had, squealed excitedly, "The Rabbit Hero: Miruko! Oh, I wish I had my notebook! I really love you!" she gushed. Stain deadpanned as he watched the girl's reaction to the Pro… it bothered him a bit that a True Hero was gushing so much over this woman, who Stain considered to be only barely a step above the usual fakes. Miruko grinned and patted Izuka's hair roughly; she respected those that spoke their minds like Izuka had done.

"Nice to meet you too kid. Your buddy, Anima, told me a bit about you while he was interned with me! He said you were a pretty amazing kid, and I agree that you kind feel like a Rabbit. It's always nice to meet a fellow Bunny Gal!" Miruko said happily, her long eats twitching.

Izuka blushed and whined cutely. Even other Pros were started to call her a Rabbit! Shaking herself out of her embarrassment, Izuka looked up to Miruko; "How did you manage to find us?"

"My ears picked up that last move of yours, Seraphim, so I hopped over as fast as I could. I've been looking for the guy controlling the tunnels, Mimic or something, but can't find 'em. I did find this though!" she smiled, handing Izuka a small duffel bag.

Izuka blinked and looked inside, gasping with delight when she saw the contents; it was her costume! Her clothes, pendent and earrings were all here! "Thank you so much! I was afraid they'd be lost for good! I owe you one!" the girl cheered, shuffling off to a corner to change into her costume while Stain and Miruko looked away. Izuka was quick and soon rejoined the two, now dressed fully in her costume and with her hood up. She was tugging happily on the ears of her hood, overjoyed to have it back. "Alright! I feel so much better wearing this! What should we do now, Miruko?" Izuka asked.

The Rabbit Woman stroked her chin in thought, "Well I couldn't find the guy controlling this place, and when he talks, his voice seems to come from everywhere, so I can't use my ears to track him down. He sounds like a pretty hot-tempered guy though, maybe we can use that to draw him out."

"Insulting him and the Precepts would likely get a strong reaction. I got the impression that he's rather hot-tempered." Stain begrudgingly added. Stain and Miruko were glaring at each other, each eager to attack the other but holding back for the sake of defeating their mutual foe. Izuka only barely noticed as she munched on a protein bar that she'd left in the pouch of her costume, specifically so she could recover a bit in situations like this. It was chock full of vitamins and herbal medicines designed to quickly reduce fatigue; it wouldn't be enough to get Izuka back into the fight, but it would be enough to ensure she didn't become a burden.

Sighing happily now that her stomach wasn't painfully empty, Izuka rejoined the conversation; "Now that I've got a bit of food in me, I can do a little more. I probably have one or two moves left in me. Just enough to use my wings for a few minutes and maybe one good attack." she said.

"Good, because we might need it. You're a kid, so do you have any good insults to tease this Mimic guy and piss him off enough to reveal himself?" Miruko asked.

Izuka grinned like a Cheshire Cat, "I'm not much for teasing, but my boyfriend is! I'll channel him." she said before taking a deep breath.

"HEY MIMIC! WE KICKED YOUR BUDDY'S BUTT! HE WAS EVEN WEAKER THAN THAT OVERHAUL CHUMP!" she screamed with a mischievous smirk.

"THE FUCK DID YOU SAY!?" Mimic's voice roared from all directions.

"YOU HEARD ME! CHRONO WAS A BIG WEAKLING AND OVERHAUL WAS ALMOST AS PITIFUL! THEY BOTH WENT DOWN TO A KID! I BET YOU'RE EVEN WEAKER!" Izuka shot back.

"YOU LITTLE BITCH! I'LL GRIND YOU INTO PASTE!"

Izuka scoffed mockingly, "OOH, I'M SO SCARED… NOT! BIG BAD MIMIC IS TOO MUCH OF A COWARD TO FIGHT A LITTLE GIRL! WITHOUT YOUR HOSTAGES, YOU'D ALREADY BE BEATEN, YOU LOSER!"

Realising what the girl was planning, Miruko smirked and joined in, "HA! KID'S RIGHT, YOU'RE A MASSIVE LOSER! THESE PRECEPTS ARE ALL PUSHOVERS! FIGHT ME IF I'M WRONG! COME ON, JUST ME AND YOU, NO HOSTAGES!" she bellowed.

"DON'T WASTE YOUR BREATH, HERO." Stain added, "THESE PRECEPTS CAN'T DO ANYTHING ON THEIR OWN! THEY'RE JUST PARASITES!"

The entire Colossus began to vibrate, as Mimic shook with boiling rage. Izuka couldn't see him, but she was willing to bet he was red-faced and had veins popping out all over his face. If Mimic had been in his normal mental state, he might have been able to take their taunting for the obvious trick it was, but with an ever increasing amount of Trigger addling his brain, he could barely think beyond his rage. In his fury, he forgot all about why he'd kept the hostages in the first place and promptly roared back.

"FINE! YOU WANT TO FIGHT ME, THEN BRING IT ON!" Mimic roared. The stone swallowed up the three heroes and all the gangsters, both dead and unconscious, and began spitting them out on the outside of the Colossus, along with all the police officers he'd captured and Ingenium, Flare Drake and Aizawa. Most of them fell into the sea around the Colossus' feet, while those that would fall on the ice were saved by either Endeavor or All-Might. Izuka conjured her wings to save Miruko and Stain, swooping down to drop them both alongside the other Heroes.

"Izuka! Well done my girl! Without the hostages, we'll win in an instant." All-Might declared.

The girl grinned happily, dismissing her wings. She only had one good move left in her, but it didn't look like she'd need it now. Most of the Police were quickly taken to the solid ground of Dagobah Beach, and they noticed the road above was full of civilians and a news crew recording the whole affair.

Mimic screamed at them all; "I DON'T NEED HOSTAGES! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!"

All-Might and Endeavor stood side-by-side and glared up at the now empty Colossus. Only Mimic remained inside, and neither were willing to allow the man to harm anyone, even if it meant killing him. "We'll do this together." All-Might said, charging his fist with a huge amount of One for All's power.

"The Number One and Number Two, fighting shoulder to shoulder. Let's do it." Endeavor smirked, "I'm going to show the entire world the new me… the Flame Hero is gone. I am Endeavor; the Rekindled Hero!" he declared, concentrating his Hell Flame into his fist.

The Colossus roared in Mimic's voice and raised a foot to stomp on the two heroes. The two Heroes jumped, using their quirks as boosters and easily smashed upward through the foot, up the Colossus leg and into the thing's chest.

"REKINDLED PROMINENCE!"

"LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA SMASH!"

The Hero Duo blasted upward, crashing through the Colossus chest up into it's head with so much force, the entire thing crumbled to rubble on All-Might's side and melted into magma on Endeavor's. When the two emerged out of the top of the Colossus' head, they had Mimic's true form, unconscious and critically wounded, on the ends of their fists. Allowing Endeavor to take Mimic, All-Might used a final Texas Smash to blast the rubble of the Colossus out into the far ocean, where it sunk into the depths. With all the members of the Eight Precepts of Death now either in prison, dead or in police custody and their base left as little more than rubble at the bottom of the ocean, the gang was officially finished, their plans gone for good.

The fall of the last of the Precepts and the successful rescue/escape of Izuka brought the operation to an end, leaving only the clean up. The unconscious gangsters were examined and then loaded into Ambulances or Police Trucks based on the seriousness of their injuries, while the dead were bagged and left to the side until the living had been dealt with. Chronostasis, Mimic and the surviving Expendables were taken by the Tartarus Prison Guards to be treated there before being moved to their cells. Among the Police and Heroes, there were no lives lost and only a few minor injuries among the police, none of which would require more than a bandage or a quick dose of healing.

The only serious injuries on the Hero Side was Aizawa-sensei, who was still unconscious and hurt from the Trigger that had effected him so strangely. He was taken to the hospital to ensure he was treated, and to research exactly why he had reacted to the drug in such a way. The EMTs were sure that he would live and was unlikely to suffer any permanent injury.

Endeavor melted the rest of Shoto's ice (the boy was still unconscious and being looked after by Koda and Tenya) and everyone reconvened on the beach, happy to be done with the Eight Precepts. Unfortunately, as the heroes escorted Izuka up to her fellow Interns for some rest, the presence of Stain was finally noticed.

All-Might shoved Izuka behind him as he and the other heroes surrounded the Hero Killer, leaving the Villain trapped in the centre of a circle consisting of All-Might, Endeavor, Miruko, Ingenium, Flare Drake, Manual and all the Interns. There was no opening for the Killer to escape through and Stain knew at that moment, this would be the end of him, one way or another. He slowly turned to face All-Might, noticing Izuka peeking out from behind the Number One, trying to get through but being firmly held out of Stain's reach.

"All-Might. The Ultimate True Hero… I've wanted to meet you for a long time now. Seraphim is your apprentice, right? She's done you proud; she's a True Hero, unlike others I could mention." the man looked over his shoulder to glare at Tenya, who looked away in shame.

"Hero Killer, if you truly feel that way then surrender. Escape isn't an option and I know full well that you helped Seraphim in dealing with the Precepts; you have my thanks for that, but your crimes cannot be forgotten. Face your crimes as a man worthy of respect." All-Might offered, holding out his hand to the Killer.

Stain chuckled darkly, "Both this sham-filled society that worships fakes, and the criminals that wield their power for petty mischief and selfish gain… they were the targets of my purge. All for the sake of a better society." the man took All-Might's hand, "… I cannot fall now!"

All-Might froze, his body trapped by Stain's quirk. The Hero Killer had slipped off the bandages Izuka had placed on the wounds on his hands, allowing them to freely bleed. With his Plus Ultra Mode active, a drop of Stain's blood in All-Might's palm froze him, paralysing his body. Before the others could figure out what happened, Stain spun around, waving his arms out and splattering his blood onto all those in the circle, paralysing them all. Only Izuka, held out of the way by All-Might had been spared.

With the Heroes frozen and the Police unable to get through them to Stain, the Killer was able to continue speaking; "Seraphim and All-Might; two lights in this pit of imposters! I need to fix it! To save the world, one person must be offered up as a sacrifice! A conduit for the blood and sins of society! I will stain myself in the blood of those that befoul the name of "Hero" and then fade from this world with all those sins! The only one allowed to kill me… is the Heroes of Light!"

Stain drew his sword and lunged forward, aiming to kill Tenya. He had been the one Stain saw as the start of his defeat; the fake who had drawn Seraphim to him. He would be the sacrifice to show the world his resolve! His death would be shown all over, as the news crews continued to record all that happened.

Izuka screamed out in horror, knowing full well that Stain was about to kill her friend. Tenya couldn't even defend himself! Acting fast, she conjured all the power she had left and created a spear of fire, a move she had seen Endeavor use before. She leapt over All-Might and took aim at Stain, whose back was to her now. With a heavy heart and no choice left to her, Izuka threw her fire spear just as Stain raised his blade to behead Tenya. Her attack struck first.

Stain gasped as the spear of flame pierced through his back and ran him through, impaling him completely. The flames lingered there, burning his chest with unbearable pain before they spluttered out along with what remained of Izuka's power. Izuka felt to the ground, panting hard and clinging to consciousness while Stain slowly turned, his wound on full display. His sword clattered to the ground and the Hero Killer was breathing hard… this was the end for him. Izuka's Spear would kill him… only her own healing might have saved him, but by ensuring Stain wouldn't kill her friend, the girl had ensured Stain would never kill again.

Unable to choke out the words he wished to say due to the pain and the hole in his lung, Stain instead chose to use the open link with Izuka to speak; _"You killed me..."_ he said, half disbelieving and half relieved.

Izuka teared up, her lip quivering as she spoke back over the link _"I-I'm sorry. I had no choice… if I hadn't, you'd have killed Tenya."_ she said miserably. Stain stayed silent for a second, only broadcasting calm over the link, as if trying to comfort the girl.

" _So, this is how my crusade ends. Killed by the light… I did say that only the Heroes of Light would be allowed to kill me, so it looks like I got my wish."_ Stain said, feeling his pain fading as death approached.

" _I'm sorry… I truly didn't want it to end this way. You were my enemy… but I didn't hate you, or want you dead."_ Izuka confessed.

Stain laughed, _"Of course you didn't… you're a True Hero. I knew I would die this way, it was just earlier than I thought."_ tears began to pour down Izuka's cheeks. The girl knew she'd had no choice; if she had done nothing, Stain would have killed Tenya and quite possibly a few others too… if she had to choose to kill him in order to save them, she would make the same choice again, even if it broke her heart. Stain saw the tears slipping down her face and continued; _"Do not cry for me… Our beliefs differed and in the end, you did what you had to. Your resolve was stronger than mine. You have my respect."_

Izuka sniffled and struggled to her feet, wanting to stand proudly as Stain slipped away. As much as she hated his actions, Izuka had to feel some degree of respect for the man's resolve, so she decided to send him off with one last secret. _"Stain… You said you would only be killed by me or All-Might… I think you deserve to know; All-Might is my father. He adopted me when I was small and is the only true father I've ever known."_

Stain's expression turned from resigned pain to joy, _"HA! Amazing, so in a way, I was defeated by both of you. I have a confession of my own to give; I ask that you don't tell anyone this. My true name is Chizome Akaguro. Remember my name and make the world a better place."_

Izuka put her hands together in prayer and bowed, _"I will. Rest in peace, Chizome."_

" _Before I fade, I have one last thing you should know. Shigaraki is a mad man, but he wasn't lying before. All for One truly is still alive. We spoke once when the League first recruited me. Be ready, he will come for you. Do not let him take you..."_

With the last of his strength and all of his indomitable will, Stain spoke aloud, so all could hear him; "My crusade has fallen… I say this, here and now, you are a worthy Hero Izuka Midoriya. You may never accept my methods, but I believe this world will be better in your hands than in mine. I proudly lay my life at your feet, Eternal Hero: Seraphim!" he loudly declared, before finally taking his last breath and slipping away, falling to the sand.

After 31 years of life, the Hero Killer Stain, Chizome Akaguro, died on Dagobah Beach, surrounded by Heroes including the one that finally ended his bloody crusade.

With Stain's passing, his quirk lost its power and the other Heroes were freed. Izuka, with what little energy she had left, limped forward and knelt at Chizome's side, removing his mask and closing his eyes. She even picked up his sword and placed it on his chest, gripped in his hands. She stood back up and looked at All-Might, who was looking at her with longing, desperately wanting to embrace the girl and comfort her, but knowing he couldn't without risking his relationship with her becoming known by the public. Izuka smiled weakly at him, a sign that as bad as it was, she would be okay. Finally, she passed out and was caught by Tenya, who looked tearfully at the girl. She'd saved his life again… Tenya knew his debt to her could never be repaid, but he swore he would try.

The events of that day would be remembered as the Eight Precepts Uprising, and while the public would never be told of Izuka's kidnapping or the precise reason for any of the day's events, they would remember it as the day that the Eight Precepts of Death and Stain were defeated for good, and the day that they all learned that the League of Villains was a real threat after all.

* * *

Okay, a lot of people are probably mad at me for killing off Stain, but it was an important event for some of the later story arcs.

His conviction was too strong to be shaken, so there was no way he would change sides, even if he respected Izuka. His death will profoundly effect her in the future and it will lead into something important!

I hope no one is too upset about it, but if you are, then I'm sorry!


	15. A Tree's Guardian

SUPER IMPORTANT

Due to a major health problem that has worsened in recent weeks, I am no longer able to write very often, to the point I'm lucky to get an hour a week.

Because of this, I have decided to go on Hiatus until my health improves.

I apologise to all my readers, but it was all I could do to finish the current arc.

So for now, this will be the last chapter. Once my health improves and i have the time to write more, I will pick it back up!

* * *

 **The Eternal Hero: Seraphim**

 **Chapter 15: A Tree's Guardian**

When Izuka opened her eyes, she discovered herself alone in an empty field. The grass beneath her was green and crisp, and the blue skies, fluffy white clouds and shining golden sun completed the image of paradise that she was met with. Her body was free of the aches and fatigue she'd been experiencing due to her continuous battles with Stain and the Precepts, and even the heaviness that had settled in her heart from taking the life of Chizome had faded to naught but a muted sadness; a single tear left unshed. The green haired girl sat up, noticing she wasn't in her costume or any clothing she recognised; she was instead wearing a feather-light sleeveless white dress that ended just below her knees, leaving her ankles and feet bare as the day she was born. The material was like nothing she'd ever felt; it barely felt like it was there at all, as if it was little more than a wisp of white smoke turned solid.

Getting to her feet, Izuka flexed her muscles, feeling none of the usual power there… she was either dreaming, or had died for the final time and passed on. Truthfully, she doubted she had died; Izuka recognised the peacefulness of this place was much like the void, but she hadn't been in a life-threatening situation when she lost consciousness, so unless she was killed in her sleep, she was just dreaming. Either way, her quirks were not here and only the ever present sensation of the links let her know that any part of them still existed.

"Where am I?" she whispered to herself, a slight echo to her voice.

"You are sleeping." came a familiar voice, and Izuka turned to meet the speaker.

In front of her was a huge tree that had not been there before; a mighty oak with a trunk as thick as Izuka's house, and as tall as a sky scrapper. The tree was so massive, every branch was as thick as a full grown oak and the countless leaves, while normal sized, seemed to spread out for miles, causing the ground around the base of the tree to be shaded, illuminated only by the thin beams of light that escaped between the swaying foliage. Izuka expected that Mimic's Colossus could have comfortably rested beneath the humongous tree… it reminded her of the legends of Yggdrasil, the God Tree of Norse Mythology. At the foot of the tree was a man, thankfully normal sized, but his appearance made Izuka pale and do a double take to ensure she wasn't mistaken.

He was the spitting imagine of Tomura!

The man was skinny, with unruly shoulder length hair that was a pale white. His eyes were sunken and exhausted, with Izuka being unable to make out the colour and he was wearing a plain white shirt and black pants with no shoes. If his hair had been tinted blue and he'd had the facial scars, he'd be a dead ringer for Izuka's old captor.

"Who are you?" Izuka asked warily.

The man tilted his head, "Do you not remember me? We spoke before, during your battle with the boy you love..."

Izuka's eyes widened; "One for All!"

"Indeed… That is who I am. Tell me, do you like this tree?" the man asked. His tone was much more peaceful than any Izuka had heard from Tomura, to the point that it felt uncanny to have that voice coming from that face.

"Wait, I don't understand! I'm asleep and dreaming I guess, but why are you here? What's going on?" Izuka asked, confused.

One for All sighed and gestured to the patch of grass before him, urging Izuka to sit. The girl did so with some trepidation, too weirded out to fully relax. Once she was seated, One for All began to speak; "You are asleep. I cannot see or hear anything that you yourself cannot, as I am a part of you, yet I can sense the echoes of my self. One such echo is currently nearby, so I believe you are safe in the hands of your father. As for why you are here… this place is within you, a kind of visual metaphor for the power of your soul. I built it for you using the same techniques you use to seal and control your emotions."

"My Mental Fortress?" Izuka questioned, getting a nod in reply. "You've said something like that before, about building things, though before it was Seraphic Light..."

One for All smiled, "So that is what you call it? It is a beautiful name. It was your use of it against the Criminal that roused me from my slumber. I expected you to use it often… it was a powerful new toy handed to a gifted girl with dreams of becoming a saviour, yet you have barely used it and have not yet experienced its true power."

Izuka blinked, "Well, I would like to use it more, but it does a number on my body, so I can't use it for more than a few seconds."

The man sighed; "You have been given what is essentially a new muscle, how do you expect it to grow stronger if you don't exercise it? Have you not noticed the powers of your friends growing stronger as they used the powers you gifted them? By neglecting this power, you have not let it grow!"

"Oh! Of course, I should have known that… I'll need to talk to Aizawa-sensei about it. But I still have a lot of questions!" Izuka said, her hands twitching as if reaching for a pen and notebook that wasn't there.

One for All smiled, like a kindly teacher with an enthusiastic pupil. "I will answer what I can, but I am limited. You can only use about 20% of my power safely, so I can only pass on 20% of the knowledge I possess. Combined with the time limit, as you will likely wake soon… I'd say I can answer three questions."

"Okay, then I'll ask the main one first! You said I haven't been using Seraphic Light's true power, but what does that mean? Is there something else I could be doing with it?" Izuka asked.

"Indeed there is. Tell me, you have already learnt of how that power came into being, correct?" the man asked.

"We have a theory. My teachers and I believe that One for All, you, stockpiles fragments of the quirks I link with, then use my Evolution to fuse them into new quirks, or Plus Ultra Modes." Izuka explained.

One for All nodded sagely; "You are 90% correct. You see, your Link Evolution quirk is special as it is half naturally yours and half gifted to you by my hated counterpart, All for One. He gave you a quirk related to linking two beings together and it combined with the natural evolution part of your Phoenix quirk to create Link Evolution. When I was added to the equation by your father, I too was evolved. All for One is a quirk that revolves around stealing the power of others and making it your own… but thanks to you and your natural abilities, combined with my counterpart's hubris, I, One for All, have developed the power to take the powers freely given by those you link to and combine them together into new strength; quite literally "One" power born from "All". There is a limit however; you cannot use the power of these created quirks at the same time as Phoenix, Link Evolution or myself… your open links will remain open, but you will not possess the quirks they provide and while I doubt you'll stay dead, your body won't be able to heal itself properly. In addition, the fragments of these linked quirks is not enough, I must use either Phoenix or myself as a base to stick them too, or else there is no quirk factor to manage the created power; that is why you call these Plus Ultra Modes rather than new quirks."

Izuka's eyes widened and she brought a hand to her chest; she'd never thought of it that way… the people she linked with had quite literally become her strength! They had fought beside her and helped her the entire time, even if they'd not been there physically. It made her feel warm on the inside, like she truly did have all her friends within her heart. Seeing that Izuka was understanding, One for All returned to the original point; "As such, Seraphic Light was born from two fragments fused to Phoenix as a base. Can you tell me who those links were?"

"Aoyama and Momo! Naval Laser and Creation!" Izuka exclaimed. Without further guidance, Izuka put the pieces together herself; "Naval Laser's contribution to Seraphic Light is obvious; it lets me produce light in the form of lasers! With Phoenix as a base, my wings are changed and instead of healing fire, I can produce light that drains a person's stamina… my Healing Fire burns away injuries, while my Light burns away stamina! But while Momo's Creation could explain why my wings split into six, that can't be all it does!"

One for All clapped, "Well done! Creation is indeed responsible for the additional wings, as well as the crystal that forms from the locations you fire your light beams, but it has one other ability. With the light you produce, you can reshape it and change it, using it to build things much like your friend, Momo Yaoyorozu. However, there are two forms to your Light Creation, each with their own limitations. Firstly, you can manipulate light to create illusions, but you must be intimately aware of every facet of the object you are attempting to make, and as an illusion, it will be intangible; the concentration and control is also a lot more than you can currently manage. The second form of Light Creation allows you to create solid objects like Momo's normal quirk, but everything you make will be made of the same crystal as the lens that protect your skin from the light you produce. It is a strong material, probably just a bit stronger that steel, but practically weightless, however as the material is always the same, you're really just making shaped sculptures than real creations. For example, you could make a gun and ammunition, with all the internal workings identical to the real thing, but it won't shoot as the "gunpowder" would just be light crystal in the shape of gunpowder. Get it?"

Izuka nodded vigorously. The Illusions would likely be impossible to use practically for at least a couple of years, considering the control required, but the crystal constructs would be very useful! Feather-light constructs as strong as steel would be ideal! One for All did have some bad news however; "Be aware though; do not rely on your Light Constructs too much. They exist only while Seraphic Light is active; deactivate it, have it erased or pass out and they'll vanish. Each creation also requires a modicum of your concentration to maintain. It is an extremely powerful ability, but one that relies on firm control and a deep well of stamina. Until you have trained yourself to maintain your Plus Ultra Mode for at least ten minutes, I don't recommend using it at all, outside of training and emergencies."

The Girl focused carefully, trying to commit every detail to memory. Without thinking, she blurted out; "How do you know all this? You're a part of me, but I don't know it..." she asked, not really realising that this could be one of her three questions.

One for All chuckled however, and decided to throw her a bone; "I am a part of you, like your subconscious. You don't need to be consciously aware of how your body works for your brain to make it work. Every single thing that is a part of you has full knowledge of every other aspect of your being; it's just your conscious mind that is unaware."

"I see… That makes me wonder though… for my second question; why do you look like that? You look a lot like Tomura..." Izuka asked.

The pale man looked down at himself, then touched his face a bit. He then shrugged; "I honestly don't know. I am One for All, brother of All for One; this is just how I look."

Izuka's eyes widened; she'd been told the story of One for All's origins, but when ever she'd referred to it, she'd just spoken of the quirk. It never occurred to her that the first wielder would call himself One for All, just as his brother called himself All for One. "So are you the first wielder, or the consciousness of the quirk?"

"I believe it is both. You know already that when I am passed from wielder to wielder, I take pieces of those past wielders; both power and spirit. I am most likely the consciousness of One for All, given the shape of its first wielder by the echoes within me. Unfortunately, I have no concrete answer." One for All explained as best he could. Izuka was a bit unsatisfied with that answer, but couldn't really blame One for All, especially as he likely only became conscious because of her evolution quirk.

"There is so much more I want to ask… Is there a way for me to contact you again? Like during my match with Kacchan or now?" the girl asked.

One for All shrugged again; "It is… complicated. When not directly speaking to you, I am usually in a deep slumber. Using my power lets me briefly experience things as you do, but it is like a dream in my slumber. Using the Plus Ultra Modes I created are usually enough to rouse me, but it requires you to be mentally and physically exhausted and for your emotions to be running high for me to actually communicate with you. I can't be certain, but I believe this is because when you are in such a state, the barrier between your conscious and subconscious mind becomes weak enough for me to slip from one to the other."

"I suppose that makes sense… both times I've spoken to you, I've been unconscious or on the verge of it…." Izuka muttered. That but a hole in her plan to get more information… she doubted her friends and family would be supportive of her constantly pushing herself to such a serious level, and making her emotions as strong as they'd been fighting Kacchan or from killing Chizome would be next to impossible.

"Now, you will no doubt awaken soon, so as you have asked three questions, I would like to ask one of my one. In fact, it is one I have already asked, but you have no doubt forgotten… Do you like this tree?" One for All asked, an odd lilt to his voice, like a mix of nostalgia and curiosity.

Izuka blinked and looked up at the massive tree. It looked no different than it had when she'd first noticed it, but it was still an incredible sight simply by its sheer enormity. "I like it. It's the biggest I've ever seen! I think you could build all of U.A in it's branches."

One for All smiled, standing for the first time and patting one of the tree's massive roots. "This Tree and I are the same… we are both visual forms of One for All."

"Wait… you said something like that earlier. Something about this place being a visual metaphor that you made." Izuka pointed out.

"Correct. I am the consciousness of One for All, created when that quirk was evolved by Link Evolution. The true reason I wanted you to be here was to see this; this Tree was created as a visual representation of the power of One for All, planted and cultivated from wielder to wielder." One for All stated, and with a snap of his fingers, he and Izuka were floating in an empty black void, much like the one Izuka was banished to upon dying. Between them was a bubble of water that showed a vision within it, portraying the field they had been in previously.

As Izuka watched, a scrawny and terrified man; the first Wielder of One for All, dug frantically at the ground of the empty field and planted a glowing speck of light, no bigger than a sesame seed. The First Wielder vanished and the second took his place, appearing as nothing more than a messy haired shadow, he place his hands on the mound of dirt that held the glowing seed and light poured from him, causing the seed to grow and sprout. The Second Wielder vanished and the third appeared, again as a shadow though this time with their hair tied up. The Third place their hands on the sprout and poured light into it, making it grow. The same thing repeated itself four more times, the tree growing larger and larger with every drop of light poured into it but this time, Izuka could see real bodies and not just shadows. The Fourth Wielder was tall and muscular with hair much like her father's when it was in civilian mode, though it lacked the bangs, and the man also had a pair of scars running down his face that crossed his left eye and his lips. The Fifth Wielder was a nondescript man with short black hair in a large trench coat. The Sixth Wielder was a bald man wearing goggles, and open jacket and bandolier. The Seventh Wielder was impossible for Izuka not to recognise… it was Nana Shimura; her Grandpa's friend and her Papa's Master… the woman would have been Izuka's Grandma if she had lived. The resemblence to Izuka's mother was striking, though it was mostly the hair style and kind eyes. Without those features, Nana and Inko weren't much alike. The Eighth Wielder, Toshinori, oddly appeared as a ghostly being made of fire and light, who seemed to shrink and disappear as he flooded the now massive tree with light. Lastly, Izuka saw herself as a scrawny and terrified ten year old, looking so weak and terrified, seemingly emulating the first wielder with her fearful posture. Izuka watched her younger self pour her own light into the tree and it grew to its current size.

The Present Day Izuka tried to reach out and touch the bubble, feeling an incomprehensible urge to feel the energy flowing into the tree, when the bubble suddenly burst, shining light in all directions that Izuka was forced to shut her eyes and shield her face. When she opened them again, she was once again standing in the field in front of One for All, the massive tree at his back.

"Everything we are… All the other Wielders, Nana, Papa and myself, we all poured everything into One for All. This Tree is the representation of all our power… its amazing." Izuka whispered to herself, though One for All heard it.

The Man smiled kindly, "I thought this would be the best image for you. The Eighth, Toshinori and his predecessor Nana liked to think of One for All like a great flame, a torch to be passed down. Like many things, One for All can be controlled more efficiently through visualisation. A flame is a forceful image, a symbol of attack, of combat and strife. For a warrior such as your father and his master, that is a worthy image, but for you, a more peaceful and protective image is suited, hence the tree. It is somewhat ironic, considering your powers revolve heavily around flame."

Izuka grinned sheepishly; fire was more of a Kintaro Family Trait, but even if it didn't suit her, the girl had still made it her own. "Um, can I ask what this is all about? It's not that I don't appreciate what you've told me, and I've learned a lot, but I feel like there's a greater significance to all this."

One for All pointed up into the foliage. Directly above them, hidden amongst the leaves was a bird, perched peacefully on one of the tree's many branches. The bird was massive, easily the size of All-Might, with even larger wings, a swan-like neck and a crest and tail consisting of long golden feathers. The rest of its body flickered and moved constantly, appearing to be part fur and part flame. It was the most beautiful bird Izuka had ever seen, and a clear reference to Phoenix.

As Izuka gazed at the bird, the man before her spoke; "I wanted you to see this for two reasons. The first is simply so you could see what lies within you; the burden and the blessing of One for All… the second is much more serious. You know how this quirk… how I came to be? The man I was, or the First Wielder had a hidden quirk that allowed one to pass his quirk on to others, and he was then given a Stockpiling Quirk, the two of which combined into One for All. Something similar happened to you, when your Evolution combined with the Link quirk to form Link Evolution."

"I know, Papa explained it all to me." Izuka said.

"What you might not have realised, is that the idea of two quirks fusing into one is quite rare and usually only occurs in the womb, when a child's genetics are in a malleable state and as a result of them obtaining the quirk genetics from both parents… Shoto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugou are both fine examples of this. One for All and Link Evolution are one in a million events. For One for All it was a fluke, brought about by the First Wielder having similar genes to All for One, due to their blood relation. For you, it was because your Evolution abilities made your genetic code highly adaptable. That adaptability had not changed; as it stands, Phoenix, Link Evolution and One for All may eventually combine within you into a single quirk."

Izuka froze. She was highly aware that all her abilities made her very powerful, with her main weaknesses being the high physical cost combined with her own inexperience and naivety. Strictly speaking, the combining of those powers into a single quirk would have no real bearing on her personally, but it would definitely effect One for All being passed on! The Quirk's consciousness immediately knew what she was thinking and nodded sagely; "Yes, my Beloved Wielder… Should you pass on One for All, whoever you pass it too will also receive Phoenix and Link Evolution, as well as whatever Links and Plus Ultra Modes you possess. As that would mean you'd be left with only an echo of your original power, which would eventually fade, this would mean you'd become mortal again. As it stands, you will likely never die permanently and may even cease to age if Phoenix and Link Evolution continue to adapt your body; passing on your power would be accepting your mortality and the inevitability of death."

"So I'll have two choices; live forever as the last wielder of One for All, or pass it on and eventually die." Izuka gulped, "To be honest, living for eternity doesn't really have any appeal to me, so it's not a hard choice to make, but with immortality thrown in, this power could be a huge burden on any successor I have… or worse, if I or another successor chose poorly, it could fall into the hands of a villain!" She suddenly looked up, realising she'd just called the man before her a burden, but he smiled and waved her off.

"It is a lot to take in, I know, but you deserved to be told the truth. For the record, the combining of these quirks, while an inevitability, hasn't occurred yet. Should you pass on One for All before that happens, then the problem would end. However, considering your every death or near-death experience causes you to evolve a little further and the rate at which you've been in these situations recently, I'd say you have little more than a year." One for All told her.

Izuka nodded and yawned. With all the information she'd learned, she felt worn out and desperately wanted a nap. Without really thinking, she sat down beside One for All and rested her head on his shoulder, noticing the man smelt of apples. Due to the appearance of the man, Izuka felt an old memory come back to her from her time as All for One's prisoner; Tomura had often had her sit with him like this, with her leaning on his shoulder and falling asleep whenever the unstable boy wanted to watch some random show. In her memory, whenever she fell asleep with Tomura, she'd reawaken in whatever place All for One decided was her room now (usually a dog crate, cell or sparse bedroom depending on how obedient she had been). This time however, Izuka doubted she'd awaken in such a place. As her mind began to fade to black, One for All began to hum a vaguely familiar tune and right before she finally succumbed to sleep, he whispered to her; "My Beloved Wielder, yours is not the only tree in the forest. Many other saplings grow nearby… they will be your strength, greater than any quirk. Trust them; none of the twenty will betray you."

 **[THE WAKING WORLD]**

Izuka slowly awoke, discovering she was now in a hospital room. Her clothes were a simple hospital gown and all the aches and fatigue of the previous day came flooding back, though thankfully lessened. Her body was tired and felt heavy, especially her chest. Wiggling a bit so she could look down at herself, Izuka smiled as she realised why her chest felt heavy; Little Eri was peacefully dozing on her.

"Izuka, you're awake." Inko said quietly from the chair beside Izuka's bed, "Thank goodness. The doctors said you were healthy, but so exhausted you might be out for days!"

Inko leaned forward and stroked Izuka's face, whereupon Izuka noticed the tears rolling down her own face. Just as her fatigue was back, so too was the pain from killing Chizome. It burned in her chest and made her heart feel tight and heavy inside her. Inko picked up on her daughter's feelings and kissed her forehead. "Oh my dear, I know it was horrible for you, but you did the right thing. Your father told me all about what happened; if you hadn't done what you did, Poor Tenya would have been killed."

"I know Mom, but it still hurts. I had such a strange dream too… I need to talk to Papa about it. How long have I been out?" Izuka asked, bravely brushing away her tears.

"Only a single night. It's 9AM on Friday. Today should have been the last day of your Work Experience, but everyone decided that you, Shoto, Tenya and Koji had all done enough for one week!" Inko said jovially. She didn't push Izuka to talk about what happened; Inko would wait until she was ready. Needless to say, Izuka would be having a few more sessions with Doctor Nekozawa.

Izuka was glad she hadn't been out for too long. Her week had been a damned long one; fighting Blade Jester over and over on Monday, battling Gammon and Overhaul on Tuesday, a day off on Wednesday and then Stain and the Eight Precepts on Thursday? The Poor girl deserved a break, and as she looked down at her snoozing little sister, she knew exactly what she'd be doing. Izuka playfully poked Eri's cheek, making the girl coo like a baby and snuggle further in to her Big Sis. Inko giggled at this and stroked both her girls' hair. "We saw the Eight Precepts attacking Hosu on the News. When your father said they had kidnapped you, Poor Eri overheard and wouldn't sleep until you were safe. The moment she saw you and we assured her you were just sleeping, she crawled into your arms and passed out!"

"She's a real sweetie. The Eight Precepts are all gone now; they won't be coming after her again. Eri is safe for good." Izuka said with finality. Inko didn't say it, but she thought that was an understatement… her eldest daughter had killed a man when there was no other way to protect her friend, so Inko didn't want to think what Izuka would do if someone threatened Eri.

"Mom, where's Papa and everyone else?" Izuka asked.

"Your Father is talking to Principal Nezu. Other than you, both Shoto and Aizawa-sensei are in hospital too. Shoto for exhaustion from overdoing his Plus Ultra Mode, and Aizawa-sensei from an accidental Trigger dose which did something strange to him. They're both alright, but between them and the Press and Police, your father stepped out so you could be left in peace. He'll be back shortly."

Izuka sighed with relief. The Press had witnessed the whole final moments of the Precepts fight, including Stain's death. Izuka didn't want to deal with that for now. With thoughts of One for All and his words to her running through Izuka's mind, the girl leaned back in her bed and rested. She wouldn't worry about One for All's revelations until she'd spoken to All-Might, and until then, she was content to stroke Eri's hair.

 **[ELSEWHERE]**

Tomura sat at his usual stool in Kurogiri's bar, scratching angrily at his neck. Everything had been going so well in Hosu! His Noumus had wrecked the city, and while most had died, Chameleon and Gargoyle had managed to capture the Little Bird! She was in their grasp and they just had to get to a clear spot for Kurogiri to open a Warp Gate and she would have been theirs! But that damnable Hero Killer had interfered and then teamed up with those Precepts!

"FUCKING TRAITORS!" Tomura roared in a fit of rage, decaying another bar stool and a pair of mugs.

"Be calm, Tomura." came the voice of Sensei, speaking through a monitor to the side of the angry young man, "The Eight Precepts have fallen and Stain was personally killed by Phoenix, or Seraphim as she now calls herself."

"For real? The Little Bird actually killed that Hero Killer? HA! I knew she was still ours!" Tomura cheered.

Sensei nodded, "Indeed, though All-Might will no doubt seek to "fix" this defect in his little saviour. We must be ready to take her back. I still have contacts in the Press and Police, which is how I learned of all this before the news broke. The Precepts and Stain were nothing but tests; experiments to see how strong our young friend has grown… now that we know the truth of her power, we can prepare our own forces. Tomura, I am giving you command of the Thirteen… let us see how they fare."

Tomura's grin was demonic as the back door opened and his new subordinates entered the bar. He had new toys to play with, and the prize for this game would be his Little Bird. Tomura couldn't wait!


End file.
